f     OCT  IH  1917 


BV  2090  .B4 
Beard,  Frederica. 
Graded  missionary  educatio 
in  the  church  school 


GRADED  MISSIONARY 
EDUCATION  IN  THE 
CHURCH  SCHOOL 


i       OCT  18  1911 

GRADED  MISSlONAfe^HlLili^ 
EDUCATION   IN   THE 
CHURCH    SCHOOL 


PROGRESSIVE  PLANS  OF  SOCIAL  SERVICE  AND 
MISSIONARY  INSTRUCTION  FOR  TRAINING 
PUPILS  FROM  FOUR  TO  EIGHTEEN  YEARS  OF  AGE 


By  FREDERICA  BEARD 


'  If  you  wish  to  introduce  any  ideas  into  a  nation's 
life,  you  must  put  them  in  the  schools." 

—  Von  Humboldt. 

'  Whatever  ideas  are  to  grip  the  church  must  be 
taught  in  the  Sunday  School." 

—George  H.  Trull. 


THE  GRIFFITH  AND  ROWLAND  PRESS 

PHILADELPHIA 
BOSTON  CHICAGO  ST.  LOUIS 

LOS  ANGELES  TORONTO.  CAN. 


Copyright  191 7  by 
GUY  C.  LAMSON,  Secretary 

Published  April,  1917 


Note.  It  is  hoped  that  any  one  interested  in  one 
part  of  this  subject  will  read  the  whole  of  the  book, 
so  as  to  get  the  full  idea  presented  here.  Other- 
wise the  points  and  plans  made  for  any  one  sec- 
tion may  not  be  appreciated  or  used  to  the  best 
advantage. 


CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

I.  Three  Essentials  ■ i 

11.  Training  Little  Children  in  Service.  .     ii 

III.  Missionary    Activities    for    Children 

Six  to  Nine  Years  of  Age   22 

IV.  Missionary  Instruction  and  Work  for 

Children  of  Nine  to  Twelve  Years    42 

V.  Missionary  Service  and  Instruction 
for  Boys  and  Girls  of  Twelve  to 
Sixteen  Years   78 

VI.  Missionary    Service    and    Instruction 

for  Young  People 99 

A  Chart  Showing  Departmental  Plans 

FOR  THE  Sunday  School , . . .   I33 


GRADED  MISSIONARY 
EDUCATION  IN  THE 
CHURCH  SCHOOL 


THREE  ESSENTIALS 

A  PLAN  is  essential,  not  for  one  Sunday  only,  nor 
for  one  month,  nor  for  one  year,  but  for  tlie  entire 
missionary  education  of  a  pupil  in  the  Sunday 
School. 

Sunday  Schools  have  some  plan  for  biblical  in- 
struction, whether  it  be  adequate  or  inadequate; 
but  there  has  been  little  attempt  even  in  an  indi- 
vidual church  to  make  one  for  both  missionary 
service  and  instruction  that  shall  provide  mission- 
ary education  for  a  pupil  who  enters  the  Sun- 
day School  at  four  years  of  age  and  graduates  at 
eighteen. 

There  is,  however,  a  growing  realization  that  if 
children  are  to  be  trained  as  Christians  in  our  Sun- 
day Schools,  it  is  impossible  to  omit  the  missionary 
element,  that  this  is  the  heart  of  the  Christian 
spirit,  and  that  in  the  broad  sense  of  the  word  a 

I 


2  Graded  Missionary  Education 

Christian  and  a  missionary  are  one  and  the  same. 
We  need  to  give,  therefore,  more  careful  thought 
to  this  part  of  Sunday  School  training. 

In  the  printed  curricula  of  certain  Jewish  and 
Unitarian  schools  most  valuable  plans  have  been 
outlined  for  benevolent  activities  in  the  different 
groups.  Other  schools  here  and  there  are  working 
to  the  same  end  with  graded  social  service  in  opera- 
tion. These  schools  have  taken  a  great  step  in  ad- 
vance of  those  of  other  churches,  but  they  do  not 
include  lines  of  instruction  that  would  seem  ad- 
visable, nor  fully  indicate  how  the  activities  and  the 
instruction  may  be  correlated,  each  being  a  means 
to  the  other.  Such  considerations  are  most  neces- 
sary for  each  individual  church.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  the  presentation  of  the  following  plans  may 
lead  to  this  end,  and  be  suggestive  to  those  who 
seek  to  strengthen  their  work. 

In  studying  the  illustrations  given  of  how  these 
plans  can  be,  or  have "  been,  fulfilled,  two  things 
should  be  remembered:  (i)  The  principles  under- 
lying such  work  are  applicable  to  Christian  train- 
ing anywhere;  (2)  the  most  ideal  plan  will  not  be 
ideal  for  the  local  school,  except  as  it  is  adapted  to 
local  conditions.  These  include  the  characteristics 
of  the  school  group,  its  nationality,  general  educa- 
tion, and  cultural  opportunities;  also  the  general 
character  of  the  homes  to  which  it  belongs,  and 
their  locality,  whether  it  be  city  or  country,  suburban 
or  tenement  district,  mining-town  or  fishing  village. 


In  the  Church  School  3 

The  wisdom  cf  thinking  of  these  points  in  rela- 
tion to  Christian  missionary  training  will  be  self- 
evident  as  the  following  outline  is  studied. 

A  PROGRESSIVE  PLAN  is  also  essential  if  there  is  to 
be  any  real  education  in  this  direction.  It  must 
correspond  to  the  needs  and  interests  of  the  little 
child'  to  begin  with,  and  change  as  the  child  grows 
until  it  appeals  to  the  young  man  and  woman  and 
supplies  what  they  need.  A  seven-year-old  Chris- 
tian must  be  a  seven-year-old  missionary,  but  he 
will  be  very  different  from  a  twelve-year-old  mis- 
sionary, and  a  missionary  of  twelve  years  must  be 
very  different  from  one  who  is  twenty.  The  prin- 
cipal or  superintendent  of  each  department  of  a 
Sunday  School  should  make  a  plan  to  correspond 
with  what  else  is  to  be  done  and  taught  through  the 
year,  and  this  should  be  submitted  to  the  super- 
visor or  director  of  instruction  of  the  entire  school, 
so  that  he  may  see  that  all  the  parts  when  brought 
together  make  a  progressive  and  unified  whole  for 
the  good  of  the  pupil  as  he  passes  from  one  depart- 
ment to  another. 

Among  persons  interested  in  missions  there  are 
two  view-points :  One  shows  the  child  to  be  trained ; 
the  other,  the  "  cause "  to  be  helped.  Are  these 
two  purposes  of  an  opposite  or  unrelated  nature? 
It  would  seem  so  sometimes,  as  one  listens  to  the 
words  spoken  by  some  earnest  Christian  workers 
who  are  absorbed  in  the  object  to  be  aided,  with- 
out a  thought  of  the  children  to  be  trained.     But 


4  Graded  Missionary  Education 

careful  consideration  will  show  that  the  one  is  de- 
pendent on  the  other;  they  should  not  be  thought 
of  even  as  parallel,  for  parallel  lines  do  not  con- 
verge, and  one  never  grows  out  of  the  other.  To 
cultivate  the  missionary  spirit  must  be  the  primary 
purpose — not  to  give  to  that  society  or  this  mission, 
which  requires  ''  so  much  money."  In  saying  this 
we  should  not  slight  the  cause  for  which  there  is  an 
immediate  and  crying  need,  financial  and  otherwise. 
Who  can  wonder  at  the  eagerness  and  longing  for 
help  of  those  who  are  giving  their  Hves  to  some  one 
cause  ?  But  to  put  this  first,  even  for  its  own  sake, 
is  a  short-sighted  view.  Five  dollars  may  be  given 
to-day,  but  if  the  children  are  not  educated  rightly, 
five  hundred  dollars  will  be  missing  from  the  mis- 
sionary offering  to-morrow.  If  the  foundation  is 
well  laid,  the  helping  of  every  cause,  the  teaching  of 
the  gospel  to  every  creature,  will  be  the  final  ex- 
pression. The  late  J.  T.  McFarland,  of  the  Method- 
ist Church,  said :  "  Let  us  carry  missions  into  the 
Sunday  School  primarily  for  the  sake  of  our  chil- 
dren themselves,  that  they  may  come  to  their  largest 
development.  The  immediate  raising  of  money  is 
a  trivial  thing  as  compared  with  this  great  aim." 
And  Prof.  Theodore  G.  Soares  has  wisely  given 
four  "  canons  "  on  Graded  Education  in  Altruism : 

I.  Disregard  utterly  the  material  results  of 
the  children's  giving,  their  moral  development 
being  the  only  worthy  consideration. 


In  the  Church  School  5 

2.  Let  all  their  giving  and  serving  be  within 
the  limits  of  their  own  social  experience,  and 
therefore  graded  to  meet  the  enlargement  of 
such  interests. 

3.  Have  all  such  efiforts  genuine  expressions 
of  the  child's  self,  not  using  the  child  as  a  mere 
agent  of  another's  benevolence. 

4.  Let  all  such  altruistic  effort  look  forward 
to  service  forming  the  habits  of  benevolence. 

The  greatest  missionary  work  of  the  church  is  to 
train  its  children  in  Christian  service,  or  there  will 
be  no  church  to  carry  on  missions  thirty  or  forty 
years  from  now.  The  first  motive  in  this  work  must 
be  "  to  save  the  child  from  selfishness  " — why  ? 
"  To  save  the  world  from  sin ; "  this  is  to  be  the 
result. 

In  making  a  progressive  plan  such  an  aim  needs 
to  be  kept  clearly  in  mind.  Then  something  more 
will  be  done  in  Sunday  School  than  the  assigning 
of  so  many  "  collections  "  for  the  year  to  so  many 
worthy  objects ;  the  little  children's  pennies  will  not 
be  turned  over,  for  instance,  to  a  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  nor  the  young  men's  money 
given  to  foreign  missions,  of  which  they  have  known 
nothing,  and  in  which  contribution  they  have  had 
no  deciding  voice. 

When  the  importance  of,  and  the  possibilities 
through,  such  an  aim  and  plan  are  realized,  the  day 
will  be  altogether  passed  when  churches  allow  their 


6  Graded  Missionary  Education 

schools  to  pay  their  own  expenses  by  means  of  the 
contributions  of  the  pupils;  they  will  see  that  a 
greater  good  is  to  be  gained  for  both  school  and 
church  than  can  result  from  this  method  that,  unfor- 
tunately, is  still  in  use  in  many  places.  No  stronger 
expression  can  be  made  on  this  subject  than  that 
by  John  Franklin  Goucher,  who  says :  ^ 

Contributions  to  the  expenses  of  the  Sunday  School 
by  those  who  are  to  receive  the  direct  benefits  of  their 
own  gifts  are  not  acts  of  benevolence.  In  fact,  for  the 
church  to  pay  the  expense  of  its  own  Sunday  School 
is  no  more  an  act  of  benevolence  than  it  is  for  a  father 
to  pay  his  family's  living  or  educational  expenses.  For 
the  child  to  be  taught  to  give  primarily  to  anything 
which  centers  in  himself,  or  to  anything  in  which  his 
personal  relation  is  the  determining  factor,  or  to  give 
simply  to  relieve  his  church  of  its  duty  to  give,  rather  than 
to  supplement  the  giving  of  the  church  that  it  may  en- 
large its  work,  is  to  strengthen  the  principles  of  selfishness. 

The  church  should  provide  for  the  expense  of  its  own 
Sunday  School,  and  let  the  children  and  youth  have  the 
culture,  influence,  the  character-developing  privilege  of 
contributing  to  the  world's  evangelization.  The  aim  in 
Sunday  School  giving  should  be  to  cultivate  genuine,  un- 
selfish, thoughtful  habits  of  giving;  that  is,  true  benevo- 
lence directed  by  an  enlightened  conscience  and  an  in- 
telligent sympathy.  The  object  should  be  made  humanly 
interesting,  thoroughly  worth  while,  so  defined,  and  so 
presented  as  to  convince  the  giver  of  its  real  need  and  his 
obligation  to  help,  and  thus  secure  his  personal  sacrifice 
through  his  sense  of  duty  and  his  awakened  interest  in 
the  object. 

1 "  The  Sunday  School  and  Missions." 


In  the  Church  School  7 

At  a  sectional  meeting  of  the  Edinburgh  Mis- 
sionary Conference  having  the  subject  ''  Children 
and  Missions,"  the  Rev.  W.  Hume  Campbell  em- 
phasized "  the  need  of  a  science  of  missionary  edu- 
cation." He  said,  "  One  of  the  most  pathetic  facts 
in  Christendom  is  the  enormous  wastage  of  endeavor 
lost  as  regards  results,  simply  for  want  of  knowing 
how  to  set  to  work."  The  Conference,  he  urged, 
should  "  send  out  a  loud  call  to  all  missionary  so- 
cieties, bidding  them  to  see  that  all  their  workers 
had  some  kind  of  training,  that  they  must  have 
skill  as  well  as  knowledge,  that  they  must  know 
something  of  the  How?  as  well  as  of  the  What? 
and  the  Why?  of  their  work,  and  in  the  Hght  of  all 
that  is  known  to-day  about  the  development  of  the 
child,  they  must  be  ready  to  revise  and,  if  neces- 
sary, throw  overboard  the  folk-lore  methods  of  an 
olden  time.  It  would  be  wiser  for  missionary  so- 
cieties to  vow  not  to  rush  their  young  people's  work 
ahead  of  their  power  to  do  it  properly,  than  to  think 
that  they  could  estimate  the  future  evangelization 
of  the  world  by  the  number  of  young  people  who 
were  being  passed  through  anybody's  hands.  If 
they  aimed  at  numbers  they  would  lose  efficiency 
as  well  as  the  numbers  they  aimed  at;  if  they  aimed 
at  efficiency  they  would,  in  the  long  run,  get  ef- 
ficiency and  numbers  that  deserved  to  be  weighed 
as  well  as  counted." 

A  CORRELATED  PLAN,  as  wcll  as  a  progressive  one, 
is  needed :  missionarv  instruction  should  be  related 


8  Graded  Missionary  Education 

to  the  other  teaching  of  the  Sunday  School,  and 
should  be  naturally  connected  with  the  experience 
of  the  children.  Instead  of  having  "  five-minute 
talks  "  on  isolated  missionary  topics,  it  is  possible 
and  desirable  to  have  the  talk  sometimes  to  the 
individual  class  as  an  outgrowth  of  the  lesson 
stories  studied,  or,  if  it  is  given  to  a  group  of 
several  classes,  to  have  it  related  to  the  life  and 
interests  of  the  pupils  as  a  whole.  How  this  may 
be  done  is  suggested  in  the  following  chapters. 

There  should  be  correlation  also  in  the  organ- 
ized effort  put  forth  by  any  one  church  for  the 
Christian  education  of  its  children.  This  was  sig- 
nified recently  by  an  interesting  illustration  from 
a  minister  who  had  sought  to  find  out  the  con- 
ditions regarding  religious  education  in  his  own 
church.  He  called  together  all  the  leaders  of  work 
carried  on  with  children  and  young  people;  seven 
organizations  were  found,  including  Sunday  School, 
Christian  Endeavor,  Mission  Band,  Boy  Scouts, 
and  Temperance  Legion,  each  overlapping  the  other, 
and  several  of  them  for  the  same  group  of  children. 
Each  leader  was  earnestly  trying  to  get  all  he  could 
from  the  children  in  the  way  of  attendance,  work, 
and  financial  gain,  without  definite  knowledge  or 
even  thought  of  what  was  being  done  for  and 
with  these  children  in  the  other  organizations.  The 
work  will  be  simplified  and  strengthened,  and  at- 
tain truer  results  when  the  Sunday  School  is  the 
center  and  the  mainspring  for  all  that  is  now  done 


In  the  Church  School  9 

in  these  separate  organizations.  Ought  not  a  school 
of  rehgion — and  what  else  is  the  Sunday  School — 
to  be  a  school  of  Christian  Endeavor,  a  mission 
band,  and  a  temperance  society?  We  do  not  mean 
from  the  formal  standpoint,  but  in  spirit  and  in 
action;  and  is  not  the  spirit  more  than  the  letter, 
the  doing  more  than  the  name?  In  other  words, 
the  one  organization  may  correlate  all  the  good 
work  that  is  now  done  disconnectedly,  and  often 
disadvantageously.  The  Sunday  School  can  never 
fulfil  its  high  mission  until  it  unites  Christian  ser- 
vice with  instruction ;  and  the  Boy  Scout  movement, 
for  instance,  will  serve  the  highest  purpose  when 
it  is  linked  to  the  church,  and  a  Sunday  School 
class  is  also  a  Boy  Scout  group.  Each  organiza- 
tion for  Christian  service  or  instruction  has  been 
of  value  in  emphasizing  the  specific  need  it  repre- 
sented ;  but  recognizing  these  various  needs,  a  more 
carefully  arranged  school,  which  may  well  be  termed 
the  church  school,  may  include  them  all,  and  then 
unity  of  effort  must  result  in  more  effective  train- 
ing. Great  care  and  wise  supervision  undoubtedly 
will  be  required  for  the  working  out  of  such  a 
plan. 

Trained  leadership  is  essential  if  the  Sunday 
School  Is  to  measure  up  to  the  opportunity  that  is 
before  it.  The  boys  and  girls  of  to-day  will  be 
loyal  to  the  church  if  provision  for  this  is  made  In 
the  kind  of  training  given.  Such  training  must  be 
different  from  that  of  former  years,  because  life  as 

B 


lO  Graded  Missionary  Education 

a  whole  is  very  different  from  what  it  was  a  genera- 
tion ago.  There  are  ways  of  teaching  now  that 
were  unknown  then.  When  these  are  applied  to 
religious  education  in  general,  and  to  missionary 
teaching  in  particular,  we  may  look  with  confidence 
for  an  increasing  interest  and  consecration  on  the 
part  of  young  people.  In  this  outcome  will  be  the 
reward  for  all  the  time  and  effort  expended  in  find- 
ing out  how  best  to  train  Christians  who  shall  be 
messengers  of  light  and  love  to  all  the  world. 


II 

TRAINING  LITTLE  CHILDREN  IN  SERVICE 

The  Principle 

A  little  child  wants  to  help — not  for  the  sake  of 
helping  at  first,  but  because  of  the  desire  to  do,  the 
love  of  companionship,  and  the  natural  tendency  to 
imitate.  To  do  as  mother  does  is  a  great  enjoyment. 
But  these  three  instincts,  the  self-active,  the  social, 
and  the  imitative,  may  be  so  guided  that  a  desire  to 
help,  and  an  effort  for  another  from  a  really  al- 
truistic motive,  may  be  gradually  developed.  It  is 
the  same  with  this  as  with  all  other  high  motives- — 
it  is  potential  in  every  little  child,  as  a  germ  to  be 
developed,  but  is  dependent  on  the  use  first  of 
natural  instincts  which  are  in  themselves  selfish, 
and  must  be  recognized  as  such.  When  these  are 
exercised  in  right  directions  the  habit  of  doing 
with  and  for  others  is  established.  Through  the 
doing  grows  the  feeling  of  love  and  compassion 
and  a  considerate  thought  for  others. 

This  point  has  been  strongly  expressed  by  Mr. 
Ralph  E.  Diffendorf er  in  these  words :  "  Believing 
as  we  do  that  the  impulse  to  live  the  life  for  others 
is  both  naturally  and  divinely  given,  its  education 

II 


12  Graded  Missionary  Education 

is  governed  both  by  natural  and  supernatural  laws.^ 
Underneath  it  are  those  essential  social  instincts  and 
altruistic  feelings.  Over  it  hovers  the  influence  of 
the  spirit  of  God  inspiring  us  to  give  '  sl  cup  of  cold 
water  '  in  his  name.'' 

The  social  instincts,  as  classified  by  Professor 
Kirkpatrick  in  his  "  Fundamentals  of  Child  Study," 
are:  (i)  The  desire  for  companionship  of  others; 

(2)  the  impulse  to  feel  as  others  do — sympathy; 

(3)  the  love  of  approbation;  (4)  the  desire  to 
serve  the  common  good  or  to  help  others — that  is, 
altruism. 

From  an  educational  standpoint,  these  instinctive 
feelings  grow,  are  strengthened,  and  become  domi- 
nant in  life  through  use.  This  is  the  simple  funda- 
mental principle.  We  must  give,  therefore,  adequate 
opportunity  for  the  growth  through  exercise  of  the 
unselfish  life.  A  thorough  realization  of  this  prin- 
ciple almost  startles  us.  It  means  almost  a  reversal 
of  our  present  system  of  religious  education.  If 
nothing  else,  it  means  that  we  will  plan  as  defi- 
nitely and  as  conscientiously  for  the  arousing  of 
these  feelings  and  their  expression,  as  we  now 
study  our  lessons.  In  planning  these  activities 
we  must  keep  in  mind  the  needs,  interests,  limita- 
tions, and  possibilities  of  each  stage  of  growth  in 
the  child's  development. 

^  We  question  the  distinction  made  here  between  the  natural  and 
the  divine  or  supernatural,  but  believe  Mr.  Diffendorfer's  expression 
on  education  through  use  as  the  simple  fundamental  principle  will  be 
helpful  to  many  readers. 


In  the  Church  School  13 


The  Plan 


Our  plan  then  in  training  little  children  in  mis- 
sionary service  will  be  to  provide  ways  in  which  they 
can  participate  in  doing  good,  without  much  being 
said  to  begin  with  about  caring  for  others  or  about 
giving  money.  They  can  do  most  in  helping  those 
who  are  very  near  them  every  day.  The  Sunday 
School  teacher  may  lead  the  children  to  tell  of 
ways  in  which  they  "  help  mother,"  and  then  sug- 
gest some  that  will  require  effort  sometimes,  e.  g., 
when  father  or  mother  is  very  tired,  a  three-year- 
old  may  fetch  the  slippers  or  the  newspaper,  may 
find  the  needle  or  the  handkerchief. 

In  the  Sunday  School  room  children  may  be  en- 
couraged to  help  by  placing  the  teacher's  chair 
for  her,  by  giving  out  papers  and  pictures  needed 
by  others,  by  bringing  flowers  "  to  make  the  room 
beautiful,"  and  in  many  other  ways.  We  need  to 
remember  the  little  girl  who  said,  with  tears  in 
her  eyes,  "  Oh !  mother  said  I  needn't  help  her  'cept 
by  being  good."  Such  generalization  would  never 
develop  a  missionary  spirit.  Froebel  says :  "  Be 
cautious,  be  careful,  and  thoughtful  at  this  point,  O 
parents.  You  can  here  at  one  blow  destroy  .  .  . 
the  instinct  of  formative  activity  in  your  children 
if  you  repel  their  help  as  childish,  useless,  of  little 
avail,  or  even  as  a  hindrance." 

There  is  no  real  giving  when  children  bring 
money  of  which  they  do  not  know  the  value,  and 


14  Graded  Missionary  Education 

which  is  not  their  own  to  give.  More  real  good 
will  be  accomplished  by  proposing  to  them  some 
act  of  kindness,  though  it  be  a  very  little  one,  and 
in  one  sense  is  not  kindness,  because  it  calls  forth 
no  unselfishness.  Mother  gives  her  little  ones  bread 
for  breakfast;  how  natural  for  them  to  save  some 
crumbs  and  give  these  to  the  birds.  On  a  hot  and 
dusty  day,  or  an  icy  winter's  day,  a  child  may  set  a 
pan  of  water  in  the  yard  for  birds  and  animals,  and 
through  the  act  a  sympathetic  feeling  may  be  born. 

The  first  step  in  missionary  training  is  to  cul- 
tivate a  habit  of  doing  something  for  others;  and 
"  others  "  may  be  plants,  animals,  persons. 

The  second  step  is  to  cultivate  a  habit  of  helping 
those  smaller,  weaker,  or  poorer  than  ourselves. 

The  third  step  is  to  cultivate  a  desire  to  make 
every  one  happy.  We  shall  then  have  missionaries 
in  embryo.  For,  do  we  not  believe,  a  missionary 
is  one  sent  of  God  to  carry  light  and  life  anywhere 
and  everywhere  ?  Jesus  said,  "  I  am  the  Light," 
and,  "  I  came  that  they  may  have  life,  and  may 
have  it  abundantly." 


The  First  Definite  Missionary  Service  in 
Sunday  School 

The  first  natural  giving  of  a  little  child  is  from 
his  own  store  of  goodies — an  apple  or  an  orange 
saved,  a  piece  of  candy,  a  picture,  or  a  toy.  We 
cannot  expect  a  voluntary  gift  of  this  kind  every 


In  the  Church  School  1 5 

week;  it  would  not  be  well  to  encourage  it.  But 
to  plan  a  special  opportunity  for  this  is  wise  every 
now  and  then. 

When  a  four-  or  five-year-old  child  has  pennies 
to  spend,  and  finds  that  they  may  be  exchanged 
for  candy,  fruit,  bread,  or  milk,  a  story  in  Sunday 
School  about  a  baby  needing  milk  for  breakfast 
will  surely  bring  an  offering  of  pennies  if  this  is 
proposed.  A  definite  time  for  such  an  offering 
may  be  planned,  and  all  the  Sunday  School  group 
may  unite  in  it.  From  that  time  on  there  will 
be  a  variety  of  things  in  which  these  small  but  busy 
workers  may  join,  as  suggested  by  the  program 
given  in  succeeding  pages. 

How  shall  these  missionary  plans  be  a  natural 
outgrowth  of  the  lesson  stories?  This  is  easier  to 
arrange  in  the  kindergarten  or  beginners'  group 
than  perhaps  in  any  other  department  of  the  Sun- 
day School.  If  the  year's  teaching  begins  in  the 
fall,  the  first  stories  chosen  by  many  teachers  are 
those  of  the  home,  and  father's  and  mother's  care, 
leading  on  to  Thanksgiving  and  the  care  of  the 
heavenly  Father.  At  that  time  it  is  very  natural 
to  have  an  offering  of  fruits  and  vegetables.  If 
the  year's  work  begins  in  the  spring,  the  flowers 
and  birds  might  be  the  central  interest  of  the 
stories,  and  care  for  these  follow. 

The  Christmas  stories  may  be  planned  so  as  to 
lead  to  gifts  of  pictures  and  toys.  Some  definite 
missionary  expression  on  the  part  of  the  children 


i6  Graded  Missionary  Education 

should  be  associated  with  the  rehgious  festivals  of 
the  year. 

There  are  stories  essentially  of  a  missionary  type 
in  the  Beginners'  Series  of  the  International  Graded 
Lessons,  under  the  themes  "  Children  Helping," 
''  Friendly  Helpers,"  *'  Love  Shown  by  Kindness." 

Suggestions  similar  to  those  in  this  chapter  may 
grow  out  of  the  stories  in  '*  Kindergarten  Lessons 
for  the  Bible  School,"  by  Lois  Palmer. 

The  following  stories  are  illustrative  of  those  that 
cultivate  a  spirit  of  helpfulness: 

The  Golden  Fairies' 

A  company  of  these  golden  fairies  went  hand  in  hand 
into  the  woods  one  day.  They  were  very  bright  and  beau- 
tiful as  they  skipped  and  danced  along  their  way.  Pres- 
ently they  came  to  a  place  where  a  tiny  flower  baby  lived. 
The  little  one  was  fast  asleep  in  the  dark-brown  earth, 
which  was  its  house.  A  crack  in  the  earth  near-by  made 
a  window  for  the  fairies  to  peep  through. 

The  house  was  very  dark  and  very  cold.  They  saw  the 
baby  fast  asleep,  and  they  said  to  each  other,  "  Let  us  go 
away  and  come  again  some  other  day,  and  we  will  each 
bring  something  for  the  baby."  Then  one  little  fairy 
said,  "Let  us  make  the  dark  house  light,"  and  another 
fairy  said,  "  Let  us  make  the  cold  house  warm."  A  third 
fairy  said,  "I  would  like  to  give  the  baby  a  new  dress," 
and  the  last  fairy  said,  "I  will  carry  a  kiss  to  the  little 
one." 

And  so  it  was.  When  they  went  back  they  stayed  a 
long,  long  time.    As  they  worked  together  the  house  grew 

'^  From  the  author's  "  The  Beginners'  Worker  and  Work,"  The 
Methodist  Book  Concern. 


In  the  Church  School  17 

lighter  and  lighter.  Then  it  began  to  grow  very  warm. 
The  baby  moved  a  little,  and  one  little  fairy  passed  very 
softly  through  the  window  and  gently  kissed  the  half- 
waked  flower.  Then  they  all  called,  "  Come,  little  one, 
come  out  and  play  with  us." 

As  the  baby  flower  opened  wide  its  eyes,  it  saw  itself 
clothed  with  a  beautiful  violet  dress.  A  sister  who  had 
waked  earlier,  and  gone  out  into  the  world,  looked  from 
her  place,  and  said,  "  They  always  call  us  violets." 

Children,  can  you  guess  who  were  the  golden  fairies? 
They  go  into  many  dark  places  of  the  earth.  They  help 
to  make  the  world  beautiful.  Often  they  peep  through 
your  window.  Sometimes  you  may  see  them  on  the 
curtain,  on  the  wall,  or  on  the  floor,  and  I  have  seen  them 
dressed  in  the  most  beautiful  colors  of  red,  orange,  and 
yellow,  green,  blue,  and  violet,  standing  side  by  side. 

A  little  child  sang  this  song  about  one  of  these  fairies — 
its  name  I  will  not  tell,  but  you  say  it  in  the  right  place : 

"  When  I'm  softly  sleeping 

In  the  early  morn. 
Through  my  window  creeping 

A comes  new-born. 

It  softly  says  good  morning ; 

Then  with  golden  light. 
Peeping  through  my  curtain, 

Makes  my  room  so  bright. 

•      "Welcome  little  ; 

Kindly  thou  hast  come. 
Bringing  cheerful 

From  thy  far-oflF  home. 
Welcome  little ; 

Gladly  I  would  be 
Pure  and  bright  and  gentle, 

Helpful  just  like  thee." 


i8  Graded  Missionary  Education 

A  Baby  to  Help 

I  was  taking  a  walk  one  day,  and  I  heard  a  baby  cry. 
I  looked  up,  and  there  was  a  large  house,  larger  than 
the  houses  where  you  and  your  babies  live.  There  was 
a  name  over  the  door  that  said,  "  For  little  babies  who 
have  no  father  or  mother  to  take  care  of  them."  I  went 
in,  and  I  saw  some  dear  little  white  beds,  and  in  some 
of  the  beds  there  were  some  babies  fast  asleep.  There 
was  a  nurse  near-by  who  was  playing  mother  to  the  babies. 
By  her  side  stood  little  Esther.  She  was  just  about 
as  big  as  our  Esther.  And  the  good  nurse  told  me  a 
story  about  her.  "We  found  Esther,"  she  said,  "a  little 
while  ago,  and  she  had  no  shoes  and  no  stockings  on  her 
feet;  that  day  she  had  had  no  breakfast,  and  we  were 
so  glad  to  bring  her  to  this  home  with  the  other  little 
children.  Somebody  gave  us  some  milk  for  her,  and  we 
found  some  shoes  and  some  stockings  that  another  little 
girl  did  not  need.  But  Esther  will  be  hungry  to-morrow 
morning ;  she  will  need  some  more  milk  and  some  crackers. 
We  have  so  many  children  here ;  I  am  afraid  we  shall  not 
have  enough  milk  for  them  all.  Is  there  any  one,  do  you 
think,  who  would  give  some  pennies  to  buy  some  milk  for 
Esther?"  I  gave  the  nurse  pennies  for  milk  that  day, 
and  told  her  I  knew  some  little  children  who  might  like 
to  help  her.  Here  is  Esther's  picture;  would  you  like 
to  put  some  pennies  in  this  bag  and  send  them  to  the 
nurse  for  Esther's  milk?  I  think  we  could  give  her  break- 
fast on  all  these  cold  mornings  when  we  are  hungry,  for 
she  is  hungry  too. 

Program  for  Missionary  "Work  and  Giving  of 
Children  Four  to  Six  Years  of  Age 

This  plan  represents  what  was  successfully  car- 
ried out  in  a  kindergarten  Sunday  School. 


In  the  Church  School  19 

Offerings : 

I.  Of  things  (instead  of  pennies). 

Pictures  given  and  mounted  by  children  for 
sick  playmate. 

Apples  or  oranges  "  saved  "  by  most  of  the 
children  for  kindergarten  of  needy  little  ones 
at  Thanksgiving-time. 

Small  toys  from  children's  own  collections 
packed  with  their  help  to  go  at  Christmas  to 
a  "  home  "  for  little  children. 

Flowers  brought  for  aged  people;  bunch 
carried  to  "Grandma  Hoyt "  by  Tom,  May, 
and  Susie. 

One  fresh  egg  purchased  by  each  child  and 
placed  in  basket  in  Sunday  School  for  Old 
People's  Home — ''  the  home  near-by,  where  the 
grandmas  live." 

2.  Of  money. 

"  One  half-pint  jar  "  of  pennies  half  filled 
by  the  children  for  milk  for  "  Esther  "  in  the 
Foundlings'  Home. 

A  little  bag  filled  with  pennies  "  to  buy  a 
birthday  plant  for  the  minister,"  to  whom  it 
was  carried  by  half  a  dozen  children. 

A  small  box  of  pennies  "  for  Christmas 
gloves  for  the  janitor,"  to  whom  these  were 
given  on  Sunday,  when  the  group  wished  him 
"  A  Merry  Christmas." 


20  Graded  Missionary  Education 

Another  box  for  a  Christmas  picture  to  be 
given  to  the  primary  room.  (This  was  sepa- 
rate from  that  of  the  kindergarten,  and  was 
'*  the  place  where  brothers  and  sisters  a  little 
older  worked  and  sang.")  All  marched  to  this 
room  with  "  the  surprise." 

The  gifts  asked  for — it  will  be  noted — were  those 
in  which  little  children  would  be  interested,  and 
were  a  part  of  their  every-day  life — milk,  eggs, 
fruit,  flowers,  pictures. 

The  "  objects "  presented  were  well  known  to 
the  children.  "  The  sick  playmate  "  was  Margaret, 
whom  they  knew  well.  "  Grandma  Hoyt "  was  a 
familiar  character  to  most  of  them.  The  "  Old 
People's  Home  "  was  in  the  vicinity  of  their  homes. 
Most  of  these  children  attended  kindergarten;  if 
this  had  not  been  so,  a  kindergarten  in  which  were 
those  needing  help  would  have  meant  little  to  them. 

The  particular  plan  made  for  each  group  should 
depend  on  the  life  and  immediate  interests  of  the 
group,  and  no  plan  in  every  detail  can  be  suited 
to  two  groups.  Things  excellent  to  do  in  one  place 
might  not  be  at  all  good  in  another. 

The  purposes  in  having  gifts  for  the  pastor,  the 
janitor,  and  the  primary  class  were:  (i)  To  culti- 
vate a  church  family  feeling  and  relationship;  (2) 
to  have  the  children  think  of  those  who  worked 
for  them  in  the  church;  (3)  to  have  a  family  feel- 
ing in  the  different  departments  of  the  school.     In 


In  the  Church  School  21 

the  separation  into  graded  departments  and  classes 
there  is  danger  of  a  lack  of  unity  and  of  a  loss  of 
esprit-de-corps  in  a  school  as  a  whole.  There  is  no 
need  for  this  unfortunate  result  if  plans  are  made 
for  cooperation,  consideration  of  each  other,  and 
occasionally  work  in  which  all  have  a  share. 

At  some  time  it  would  be  well  for  the  kinder- 
garten group  to  make  a  gift  to  the  general  super- 
intendent, and  on  some  one  Sunday  arranged  for 
beforehand,  to  put  flowers  in  the  church.  From  the 
earliest  days  the  children  should  be  led  to  feel 
that  they  belong  to  the  church  family,  and  that 
the  Sunday  School  is  connected  with  the  church. 


Ill 


MISSIONARY  ACTIVITIES  FOR  CHILDREN 
SIX  TO  NINE  YEARS  OF  AGE 

A  Guide  for  Beginning 

Where  shall  we  begin  with  these  children  ?  From 
the  standpoint  of  their  interests,  limitations,  and  pos- 
sibilities. All  their  interests  center  in  home  and 
school.  As  soon  as  a  child  enters  school  his  mental 
and  moral  horizon  widens  perceptibly.  The  very 
fact  that  he  meets  daily  a  little  community  coming 
from  many  and  widely  different  homes  changes  it 
even  more  than  the  lessons  he  learns  in  the  school- 
room. But  these  too  have  their  influence.  The  fact 
that  a  child  begins  to  read  will  affect  the  kind  of 
missionary  teaching  he  may  have.  While  most  of 
his  work  for  others  should  grow  out  of  his  im- 
mediate experience,  like  that  of  his  little  brother's, 
yet  he  has  a  realization  of  time  and  place,  and  an 
imagination  regarding  these  that  will  enable  him  to 
do  good  farther  away ;  he  "  loves  to  go  places,"  to 
take  a  trip  on  the  cars,  but  we  need  to  remember 
that  his  real  geographical  interest  and  knowledge, 
his  love  of  travel  and  adventure  are  especially 
strong  a  few  years  later.    This  illustrates  the  "  pos- 

22 


In  the  Church  School  23 

sibilities  "  on  the  one  hand,  the  "  Hmitations  "  on 
the  other.  Practically  applied  to  missions,  it  means  : 
a  larger  home  missionary  service  than  that  of  the 
kindergarten  child,  and  a  little  foreign  missionary 
service,  but  only  a  little — just  what  will  naturally 
link  itself  to  the  every-day  experience.  For  exam- 
ple, Turkey  became  just  as  near  as  Chicago  to  one 
group  of  children  living  near  that  city,  when  a 
friend,  ''  a  real  missionary,"  came  home,  stayed 
with  the  family  of  one  of  the  boys,  and  talked  to 
the  primary  class  about  his  Orphans'  Home,  bring- 
ing them  pictures  of  the  place;  to  give  to  that  was 
as  real  and  vital  an  interest  as  if  the  home  had 
been  on  the  next  street.  In  reality,  it  was  not 
foreign  missions  at  all.  This  illustration  shows 
that  no  rigid  plan  should  be  adhered  to,  because 
we  can  never  know  what  opportunities  will  develop 
for  broadening  children's  sympathies  and  efforts. 
A  kindergarten  training  teacher  once  said  to  a 
graduating  class,  "  A  kindergartner  who  has  no 
program  is  a  very  poor  one,  a  kindergartner  who 
always  keeps  to  her  program  is  one  that  is  worse." 
So  it  is  with  the  teacher  of  religion.  There  should 
be  a  clear  idea  of  what  ought  to  be  done  by  and 
with  the  children  while  they  are  in  the  primary 
department,  and  then,  on  that  basis,  a  plan  should 
be  outlined  for  the  immediate  year,  but — it  may 
be — not  rigidly  held  to.  A  good  reason  for  change 
is  always  desirable,  however,  if  a  plan  is  set  aside. 
In  considering  the  purpose  of  all  missionary  train- 


24  Graded  Missionary  Education 

ing  Doctor  Sailer,  as  quoted  by  Mr.  Trull/  says 
what  is  especially  applicable  to  the  elementary 
grades : 

Our  aim  is  to  develop  missionary  attitudes  and  habits. 
It  is  certainly  not  merely  to  impart  general  missionary 
information.  That  is  only  a  means  to  an  end,  and  often 
a  very  inadequate  means.  By  attitude  I  mean  the  frame 
of  mind,  the  disposition  we  come  to  have  toward  certain 
things.  These  attitudes  rest  on  impulses,  either  instinctive 
or  acquired.  Habits  are  formed  by  these  attitudes  in  action. 
We  should  remember  that  habits  not  resting  on  impulses 
will  have  no  vitality;  on  the  other  hand,  that  impulses 
not  crystallized  into  habits  are  simply  wasted.  Teaching 
should  concern  itself  mainly  with  securing  attitttdes  rather 
than  imparting  information. 

It  is  essential  then  to  consider 


What  to  Include  in  the  Primary  Department 

1.  A  habit  of  missionary  activity. 

2.  Cultivation  of  a  missionary  spirit  from  the 
standpoint  of  eight-year-old  development. 

These  two  things  to  be  gained  in  three  years 
through  suggestion,  story,  and  the  doing  of  simple 
but  definite  forms  of  missionary  work. 

Suggestion  is  a  more  general,  but  a  no  less  im- 
portant influence  than  the  other  two.  It  is  often 
incidental,  but  it  helps  to  cultivate  a  right  spirit, 
and  gradually  to  form  a  standard.     Teachers  often 

^  George  H.  Trull,  "  Missionary  Methods  in  the   Sunday   School," 
p.  39- 


In  the  Church  School  25 

ask,  How  can  suggestion  be  made?  Let  us  ask 
another  question,  What  is  the  most  important  ser- 
vice for  an  eight-year-old  missionary?  Both  ques- 
tions may  be  answered  by  the  following  illustrations : 

"Margaret,  will  you  be  mother's  messenger,  and  go  up- 
stairs and  ask  Susan  to  give  you  the  basting-thread  ?  " 

The  little  girl  was  busy  with  her  dolls.  It  cost  some- 
thing to  stop ;  she  hesitated.  "  I  don't  want  to,"  sprang  to 
her  lips,  and  then  she  ran.  Tossing  the  spool  on  high,  she 
danced  back,  exclaiming,  "  Why,  mother,  I  guess  I'm  your 
angel !  "  I — her  Sunday  School  teacher — listened :  Mar- 
garet had  sat  beside  me  on  the  previous  Sunday  when 
the  minister  had  said  that  angels  were  God's  messen- 
gers. Was  she  not  doing  missionary  service?  Had  she 
not  "lost  her  life"  for  three  minutes? — her  play  was  her 
"  life,"  and  she  had  given  it  up. 

I  was  watching  Christians.  One  morning  three  nine- 
year-old  boys  were  starting  off  on  roller-skates;  Bobbie, 
of  five  years,  cried,  "Can't  I  go  too,  Jack?"  and  Jack 
began,  "  No,  you  can't,  you're  too  small,"  but— he  stopped, 
and  something  made  him  say,  "Well,  I  guess  you  can  tag 
on  right  here,"  and  Bobbie  went  "tagging"  with  shining 
face.  Do  adult  Christians  always  take  with  them  the 
people  they  do  not  want? 

While  watching,  I  heard  of  another  group  of  boys 
who  came  upon  a  little  lame  dog.  "Let's  have  some 
fun,"  said  one  to  the  others;  "hold  him  up  by  his  front 
legs,  and  see  him  go  on  one  hind  leg."  Up  spoke  Johnnie : 
"No,  you  don't;  I'm  going  to  take  him  home,  and  you 
can  go  ahead  to  the  park." 

Love  is  the  center  of  the  Christian  life — love  to 
mothers,  to  Bobbies,  to  little  lame  dogs.     By  the 


26  Graded  Missionary  Education 

expression  of  love  we  gradually  become  more  like 
Christ.  Psychology  is  telling  us  that  action  pre- 
cedes feeling  and  knowing,  and  Jesus  said  this  long 
ago,  "  He  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  shall 
know  of  the  doctrine."  Love  is  to  be  enacted  first 
at  home,  at  school,  at  Sunday  School. 

Suggestion  is  a  powerful  means  for  gaining  such 
results  as  these,  especially  that  which  is  indirect. 
Therein  lies  the  value  of  the  story  in  addition  to 
the  incidental  influence  of  the  teacher,  the  story 
too,  that  might  never  be  thought  of  as  ''  missionary." 
True  sympathy — not  sentimentality — awakened  by 
a  story  and  put  into  action  for  a  lame  dog,  or  a 
crippled  old  woman,  will  lead,  if  guided  rightly, 
to  unselfish  effort  for  those  who  do  not  know  of 
Jesus  and  his  love. 

A  Christmas  morning  was  made  happier  for 
three  or  four  old  people,  shut  away  from  any  church 
service,  because  half  a  dozen  children  of  the  pri- 
mary class  sang  Christmas  carols  at  their  windows 
or  within  their  homes.  What  greater  gift  or  better 
missionary  service  could  these  little  people  render 
than  to  leave  their  own  celebrations,  and  use  a  little 
of  the  day  In  this  way? 

A  primary  teacher  planned  two  months  In  ad- 
vance of  Children's  Day  that  her  children  should 
have  an  offering  then  for  the  sick  that  would  be 
more  thoroughly  their  own  than  the  flowers  father 
or  mother  might  give  them  to  carry  in  the  proces- 
sional.    Bulbs  were  purchased  with  some  of  the 


In  the  Church  School  2^ 

Sunday  School  pennies,  and  each  child  planted  one 
in  a  pot,  tended  it,  and  carried  the  plant  when  he 
marched  into  the  church  on  the  Sunday  in  June. 
In  order  to  have  this  plan  a  success  a  letter  of  ex- 
planation was  sent  home  when  the  bulbs  were  first 
taken. 


A  Plan  for  One  Year 

The  following  description  of  work  carried  out  in 
a  primary  department  during  one  year  shows  what 
may  well  be  done  in  channels  usually  termed  mis- 
sionary. Such  work  becomes  interesting  and  real 
when  the  activity  of  the  children  themselves  is 
employed. 

A  large  sheet  of  paper  was  hung  on  the  wall. 
In  imagination  we  were  to  go  from  one  place  to 
another  "  to  do  as  Jesus  did,  who  went  about  doing 
good."  The  paper  would  help  in  the  making  of 
this  journey.  The  first  place  to  do  good  was  at 
home,  so  the  offering  for  the  first  month  was  given 
"  to  help  take  care  of  our  own  church,"  and  a  pic- 
ture of  the  church  was  set  in  the  center  of  the 
sheet  of  paper.  For  one  month  out  of  three  we 
came  back  and  worked  for  that;  sometimes  it  was 
to  get  a  specific  thing,  like  curtains  or  a  picture  for 
the  Sunday  School  room ;  at  other  times  the  money 
given  went  directly  to  the  church  fund  "  for  some 
of  the  coal,"  or  "  to  help  pay  the  janitor  for  his 
work." 


28  Graded  Missionary  Education 

In  the  second  month  we  played  **  visiting  "  a  neigh- 
boring small  church,  of  which  some  of  the  children 
knew,  and  a  line  was  drawn  to  it  from  the  home 
church.  It  had  lately  been  built,  and  the  little  chil- 
dren in  this  Sunday  School  had  no  blackboard. 
We  decided  to  use  the  pennies  given  in  October 
to  buy  a  small  board.  Pictures  of  the  church  and 
of  the  blackboard  were  made  at  the  end  of  the 
line.  The  latter  was  brought  to  our  school  for  the 
children  to  see,  and  then  sent  with  a  letter  written 
by  one  of  the  oldest  boys. 

Another  line  was  drawn  to  Chicago,  the  great 
city  near  which  we  lived.  So  much  was  to  be  done 
there  that  we  stayed  for  two  months.  One  of  our 
teachers  knew  a  little  girl  who  could  not  go  to 
school  till  she  had  shoes  and  stockings  and  a  coat. 
Two  or  three  mothers  gave  us  these,  but  the  children 
brought  them  to  Sunday  School  and  packed  them 
up ;  "  our  own  pennies  "  bought  a  gingham  dress, 
some  underwear,  and  a  bright  hair-ribbon;  and 
how  happy  two  boys  and  a  girl  were  to  be  "  the 
committee  "  with  the  teacher  to  carry  the  bundle  to 
the  child's  home. 

We  learned  too  of  a  band  of  people  who  were 
working  "  to  make  the  city  good,"  and  whose  name 
was  the  Baptist  City  Missionary  Society ;  the  initials 
B.  C.  M.  S.  stood  at  the  next  line  made  on  the 
paper;  to  one  of  the  society's  missions  money  was 
given,  with  needles  and  thread  for  the  sewing- 
school.     At  Christmas  a  Home  for  the  Friendless 


In  the  Church  School  29 

was  found,  and  we  played  "  being  friends."  A  box 
was  sent  with  a  bright  ribbon  and  a  Christmas  note 
for  each  girl,  and  a  handkerchief  and  a  note  for  each 
boy,  the  notes  being  written  by  the  Sunday  School 
children,  after  we  had  learned  from  the  matron 
the  names  of  all  the  inmates. 

In  January  we  "  stayed  at  home,"  and  the  next 
month  started  South  to  a  place  where  coal  was  dug 
by  miners.  A  picture  of  a  small  house  showed 
where  their  children  went  to  Sunday  School,  and 
two  dozen  little  red  chairs  were  shipped  down  there. 
We  went,  in  March,  on  our  imaginary  trip  to  a 
school  for  colored  girls,  and  gave  them  a  picture  of 
Jesus  Christ  for  their  schoolroom  wall. 

April  was  "  stay-at-home  month,"  but  a  friend 
from  far-away  China  happened  to  come  to  see  us. 
This  was  now  the  time  for  "  foreign  missions,"  and 
in  May,  after  hearing  stories  of  the  Chinese  chil- 
dren, we  gave  this  teacher  pictures  we  brought 
from  home,  some  half-worn  readers,  and  some  new 
little  Bibles  to  take  across  the  sea  with  her.  The 
paper  on  the  wall  now  showed  a  long,  long  line  to 
reach  her  home  in  China.  In  June  came  Children's 
Sunday,  and  we  joined  with  the  friends  of  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society  to  make  new 
or  better  Sunday  Schools  in  many  places  of  our  own 
country  by  sending  the  Society  five  dollars. 

When  money  is  given,  care  should  be  taken  as  to 
how  the  gift  is  made.  Children  of  this  age  do  not 
comprehend  the  exchange  of  money;  they  cannot 


30  Graded  Missionary  Education 

understand  that  five  hundred  pennies  can  be  ex- 
changed for  a  five-dollar  bill,  or  a  gold  piece,  and 
the  one  be  equivalent  to  the  other.  An  illustration 
of  confusion  occurred  only  the  other  day:  A  pri- 
mary department  was  to  give  five  dollars  to  a  mis- 
sionary work,  and  the  missionary  came  to  speak  to 
tlie  class;  the  teacher's  own  child  handed  her  a 
five-dollar  bill  before  Sunday  School,  and  later  the 
missionary  thanked  the  children  for  their  pennies; 
Willard  spoke  up,  saying,  "  Why,  my  father  gave 
me  that  bill  to  bring  to  you !  "  There  was  no  con- 
nection in  his  mind  with  the  Sunday  offerings,  nor 
any  realization  on  the  part  of  the  others  of  what 
was  being  done. 

Attention  should  be  given  to  several  points  no- 
ticeable in  the  plan  outlined  above : 

1.  It  makes  use  of  the  child's  natural  interests 
in  home  and  school,  work  and  play. 

2.  It  begins  with  what  is  nearest  to  him,  and 
then  as  opportunity  comes,  enlarges  his  view  so 
that  he  may  know  of  other  children  of  the  heavenly 
Father  who  need  help. 

3.  It  makes  the  giving  concrete  and  particular; 
the  gifts  are  things  which  children  of  this  age  realize 
are  necessary  or  nice  to  have.  The  children  are 
materialistic  in  their  appreciation. 

4.  It  introduces  a  plan  of  instruction  for  ac- 
quainting the  Sunday  School  pupil  with  the  mis- 
sionary Societies  of  the  church.  This  ought  to  be 
a  part  of  Sunday  School  training,  so  that  when 


In  the  Church  School  31 

pupils  come  into  church-membership  they  will  have 
some  knowledge  of  what  their  church  is  doing  and 
be  ready  to  cooperate.  This  will  be  more  fully 
discussed  and  planned  for  in  later  chapters  of  this 
book,  as  it  has  a  larger  place  in  plans  for  older  boys 
and  girls. 

Another  way  of  making  real  the  different  objects 
to  which  contributions  are  made  is  by  having  a 
poster  about  each  one.  There  might  be  a  poster  for 
each  month,  not  already  prepared,  but  grozving 
through  the  month  by  the  pictures  the  children 
add  to  it  about  the  particular  subject  for  that  time. 
For  example,  suppose  a  group  is  helping  to  pro- 
vide a  playground  in  a  city's  tenement  district,  the 
poster  might  be  arranged  thus:  The  Playground 
We  Are  Helping  to  Make,  as  a  heading  in 
simple  large  letters;  in  the  center  a  picture  of  a 
playground  with  children  at  play  (such  may  be 
often  found  in  the  "  Survey "  and  the  "  Play- 
ground "  magazines)  ;  in  one  corner  a  picture  of 
two  or  three  children  and  the  words  underneath 
it:  No  Home  Yard  in  Which  to  Play.  If  the 
primary  class  money  pays  for  a  swing,  have  that 
drawn  in  another  corner,  with  the  words.  Our 
Swing.  A  letter  that  had  been  written,  telling  about 
the  need  for  this,  might  also  have  a  place  on  the 
poster. 

When  a  group  is  working  for  China  a  fine 
poster  can  be  made  on  this  subject;  for  example. 
entitle  it  Our  Chinese  Friends,  place  pictures  of 


32  Graded  Missionary  Education 

Chinese  children  and  of  a  school  in  the  center,  add 
other  pictures  of  objects,  such  as  a  Chinese  cart  and 
a  house-boat,  that  may  be  referred  to  in  a  story, 
making  real  this  strange  country.  When  other  for- 
eign people  are  the  special  interest — the  Japanese, 
Eskimo,  or  the  Indian,  similar  plans  for  posters  can, 
of  course,  be  carried  out.  A  wealth  of  material  is 
easily  obtainable  for  this  sort  of  thing.  Discrimina- 
tion should  be  made  as  to  pictures  of  subjects  suit- 
able for  young  children.  The  best  are  those  that  tell 
a  story  of  child  or  home  interests,  and  are  full 
of  action  rather  than  descriptive  of  place.  Some 
kinds  of  pictures  ought  not  to  be  used  with  children, 
e.  g.,  "  A  Moslem  at  Prayer,"  "  A  Chinese  Idol,*' 
"  An  African  Witch-doctor,"  or  "  Sacrifices  of 
Human  Beings."  Picture  post-cards  well  selected 
will  be  helpful.  The  Detroit  Photographic  Company 
has  some  of  the  best.  Good  pictures  often  may  be 
cut  from  the  magazines  and  pamphlets  of  the  Home 
and  Foreign  Mission  Societies,  especially  "  Every- 
land,"  a  magazine  for  older  girls  and  boys,  but 
which  has  in  it  much  to  help  primary  teachers.  The 
Missionary  Education  Movement,  156  Fifth  Avenue, 
New  York  City  (Interdenominational),  will  give 
valuable  aid  to  any  one  interested  in  teaching  home 
or  foreign  missionary  subjects.  Material  giving  in- 
formation and  suggestion  may  be  obtained  from 
the  missionary  Societies  of  the  different  denomina- 
tions. For  instance,  a  set  of  twelve  good  Japanese 
picture-cards  may  be  had  from  the  American  Bap- 


In  the  Chmxh  School  33 

tist  Foreign  Mission  Society ;  also  missionary  object- 
lessons  on  Japan  and  Africa,  which  at  times  may  be 
useful.  This  Society  also  furnishes  ''  hand-colored 
views  "  on  post-cards  of  all  the  Baptist  mission  fields. 
Some  of  these  will  be  useful  for  the  primary  chil- 
dren, and  some  for  older  children.  The  Woman's 
Home  Missionary  Unions  of  the  different  denom- 
inations have  pamphlets  and  pictures  about  the 
Chinese,  Indian,  Negro,  and  Eskimo,  from  which 
may  readily  be  culled  suitable  matter  for  young 
children. 

A  good  teacher  will  use  discrimination,  gather 
information  from  these  sources,  and  weave  some 
of  it  into  stories,  or  adapt  missionary  stories  already 
written,  so  as  to  meet  the  need  from  a  true  edu- 
cational standpoint.  The  first  story  of  the  following 
group  is  an  illustration  of  how  certain  facts  reported 
by  a  home  missionary  were  pictured  to  primary  chil- 
dren by  the  imaginary  addition  of  "  little  Jim." 


Illustrative  Missionary  Stories  for  Primary  Pupils 

A  Prairie  Sunday  School 

Little  Jim  was  riding  "  across  country  "  with  his  father 
one  day.  They  had  come  some  distance  over  the  prairies 
without  seeing  any  one.  But  now  they  caught  sight  of 
one  farmhouse  and  then  another,  and  then,  all  of  a  sudden, 
they  heard  the  sound  of  singing.  It  came  from  a  little  bare 
house  that  stood  off  by  itself,  and  looked  like  a  box-car 
with  a  small  door  on  one  side.  Up  they  drove  to  see 
what  was  going  on;  inside  were  about  thirty  people,  big 


34  Graded  Missionary  Education 

and  little.  It  was  Sunday  afternoon,  and  they  were  hav- 
ing Sunday  School  in  this  funny  house.  They  had  no 
church,  and  a  few  weeks  before  they  had  had  no  Sun- 
day School.  The  nearest  one  to  these  people  was  seventy- 
five  miles  away.  One  lady  had  been  living  there  for  ten 
years,  and  had  only  been  able  to  go  to  church  five  times 
in  all  those  years !  Jim  and  his  father  found  a  man  there 
who  traveled  every  Sunday  twelve  miles;  he  wanted  so 
much  to  come  to  Sunday  School.  Just  a  few  weeks  before 
Jim's  visit  some  one  had  said :  **  Wouldn't  it  be  nice  to  fix 
up  this  little  house  and  have  a  Sunday  School?  Some  of 
the  people  who  have  moved  out  here  used  to  like  to  go 
when  they  were  in  their  old  homes,  and  some  of  these 
children  have  never  been  to  a  Sunday  School — they  don't 
know  what  it  is."  So,  with  the  little  money  they  had, 
some  of  the  people  fixed  up  the  empty  house  the  best  way 
they  could,  with  a  carpet  and  some  seats.  They  decorated 
it  with  flowers,  and  were  given  a  present  of  some  song- 
books.  Then  they  went  all  round  the  country,  and  invited 
all  the  friends  to  come,  fathers  and  mothers  and  children. 
Just  think!  the  man  who  came  twelve  miles  was  so  in- 
terested in  the  Bible  stories  that  he  wanted  to  buy  a  Bible. 
He  rode  to  the  near-by  town  and  asked  to  buy  one. 
The  storekeeper  said,  "  Why !  I've  been  selling  things  here 
for  twenty  years,  and  this  is  the  first  time  any  one  has  asked 
for  a  Bible." 

Would  you,  boys  and  girls,  like  to  see  a  picture  of  this 
Sunday  School?  And  can  you  guess  who  started  it,  and 
gave  the  money  and  the  books?  Far,  far  away  there 
were  some  people  who  had  said:  "There  are  so  many 
places  where  there  are  no  Sunday  Schools,  or  where  the 
children  need  to  have  better  ones;  can't  we  join  together 
and  help  them  ? "  Now  there  is  so  much  to  do,  this 
Society  asks  us  to  join  and  help  too.  Shall  we?  And 
will  you  bring  pennies  next  Sunday  to  help  a  Sunday 
School  just  like  this  one? 


In  the  Church  School  35 


A  Bible  Missionary  Story" 

A  company  of  people  were  traveling  on  their  way,  go- 
ing a  little  farther  every  day.  They  were  hoping  to  reach 
a  beautiful  home  that  had  been  promised  to  them.  They 
had  many  things  to  make  them  glad  as  they  went  on  and 
on.  But  one  day  they  saw  a  little  child  hungry  and 
cold.  "We  must  stop,"  said  these  people,  "and  give 
this  child  some  of  our  food."  And  near-by  they  found 
the  mother,  and  as  they  looked  at  her  and  her  children 
they  said,  "We  have  much  more  than  they;  cannot  we 
spare  some  of  our  things?"  and  they  gave  them  some 
clothes. 

As  they  traveled  on  they  saw  an  old  man;  he  was  hav- 
ing a  hard  time  all  by  himself,  stumbling  on  his  way. 
"  He  is  a  stranger  and  all  alone — suppose,"  said  one,  "  we 
take  him  with  us  and  help  him  on  the  road."  And  so 
they  did. 

By  and  by  they  came  to  a  large  house.  Here  people 
were  sick  and  troubled.  Into  this  house  these  friends 
went;  they  stopped  doing  their  own  work  and  tried  to 
make  these  other  people  happy.  And  some  of  them 
saw  another  house  where  people  stayed  who  had  done 
wrong,  so  much  wrong  they  could  not  go  out  to  play. 
Our  friends  went  to  them,  and  told  them  how  they 
could  be  good  and  free  and  glad  again. 

A  long  time  went  by,  and  there  was  much  to  do,  and 
then  these  friends  came  to  the  home  of  which  they  had 
heard.  It  was  the  palace  of  a  King.  The  King  stood  at 
the  door  and  said :  "  Come,  my  friends ;  come  and  share 
my  home  with  me.  When  I  was  hungry  you  fed  me, 
when  I  was  sick  you  visited  me,  when  I  was  in  prison 
you  came  to  me."  And  the  people  looked  at  each  other. 
"What   does   the   King  mean?      We   never  did  anything 

« From  the  author's  "  The  Beginners'  Worker  and  Work."  The 
Methodist  Book  Concern. 


36  Graded  Missionary  Education 

for  him ! "     "  Ah !   but,"  said  the  King,  "  you  did  it  for 
those  I  love,  and  that  is  just  the  same." 


Two  Foreign  Missionary  Stories 

Zekieh  and  the  "Hat-lady"' 

If  you  traveled  to  far-away  Turkey  you  would  find 
Zekieh — a  little  girl  with  this  funny  name.  One  morning 
the  boys  and  girls  who  lived  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Zekieh's  home  were  standing  around  Ahmet,  buying  beau- 
tiful red  and  yellow  sticks  of  candy.  It  was  Sunday, 
and  they  had  been  playing  tag  and  leapfrog  and  marbles 
on  the  hillside  all  the  morning.  You  see  they  had 
never  been  taken  to  church  in  all  their  lives,  nor  to 
Sunday  School;  and  no  one  had  ever  told  them  that 
Sunday  is  not  a  day  to  play  games  just  like  every  other 
day.  Suddenly  some  one  called :  "  Come,  Fatima ;  come 
quick!  A  hat-lady  is  coming.  See?  Perhaps  she'll  have 
some  pictures ! "  And  Zekieh,  who  had  gone  to  ask  for 
a  penny,  came  running  back,  her  twenty  black  braids  of 
hair  standing  out  in  all  directions,  and  the  shells  and 
pieces  of  money  sewed  on  her  red  cap  tinkling  together 
as  if  they  were  excited  too.  Quick  as  a  flash  everybody 
deserted  Ahmet  and  started  down  the  street.  Even  Kevork 
and  Misak,  who  were  just  going  to  have  a  wrestling 
match,  forgot  all  about  it.  So  when  the  "  hat-lady  "  turned 
the  corner  she  ran  directly  into  them. 

"Where  are  you  going,  hat-lady?"  asked  Zekieh.  She 
wore  a  very  long  gown  with  stripes  on  it  and  slits  up 
the  side  so  she  could  run.  Over  that  was  a  gay  blue 
jacket  and  a  gay  sash,  but  her  face  was  so  bright  that 
the  lady  didn't  notice  her  clothes  at  all.  She  turned  and 
smiled  in  a  way  that  made  Zekieh   feel  warm   all   over. 

3  Used  by  permission  of  Woman's  Board  of  Missions,  Boston,  Mass. 


In  the  Church  School  37 

"Why,  I  have  come  just  to  see  you,  and  I've  brought 
some  pictures  and  stories,"  she  answered.  "  Where  is  a 
good  place  for  us  to  sit  down  ?  " 

"  Isn't  the  writing  beside  the  pictures  funny  ? "  whis- 
pered Fatima  to  Zekieh.  "Let's  keep  close  to  her,  and 
perhaps  we'll  get  a  chance  to  ask  why  it  looks  so  dif- 
ferent from  the  printing  on  the  newspapers." 

And  so  they  found  a  good  stone  for  the  hat-lady  to 
sit  on,  and  then  they  all  crowded  about  to  hear  the  story 
she  had  to  tell.  Now,  perhaps  I  ought  to  say  that  this 
lady  had  gone  on  a  very  long  journey  from  the  country 
we  live  in  'way  over  to  the  land  called  Turkey.  And 
it  was  because  she  wore  hats  just  like  ours  here,  and 
quite  different  from  the  shawls  and  handkerchiefs  that 
the  women  in  Zekieh's  country  use  on  their  heads,  that 
all  the  Turkish  children  called  her  the  "hat-lady."  She 
was  very  fond  of  boys  and  girls;  in  fact.  If  you  had 
asked  her,  she  would  have  said  that  she  had  gone  to 
live  in  Turkey  just  on  purpose  to  get  acquainted  with  the 
boys  and  girls  who  belong  there.  "  I  like  to  help  them 
grow  in  the  right  way,"  she  sometimes  explained  to  people. 

The  first  picture  that  came  out  of  her  envelope  was 
of  a  little  baby  lying  in  a  manger — a  baby  that  was  all 
white  and  shining!  His  mother  was  leaning  over  to  look 
at  him,  and  in  the  back  of  the  picture  were  some  cows 
pushing  their  noses  in  to  see  what  was  happening  in 
their  stable.  When  the  hat-lady  turned  it  so  they  could 
see,  the  Turkish  boys  and  girls  said  "  Oh !  "  and  "  Ah !  " 
just  as  if  it  had  been  a  whole  Christmas  tree,  for  they 
had  never  seen  anything  like  it  before  in  all  their  lives. 
"  Just  look  at  the  colors  on  it !  "  whispered  Mehmet  to 
the  boy  next  him.  "  Didn't  they  have  any  place  for  the 
baby  except  the  stable  ? "  asked  Fatima ;  and  Zekieh,  be- 
fore she  stopped  to  think,  said  right  out :  "  Why,  he  looks 
even  beauti fuller  than  my  baby  brother.  Who  is  he,  hat- 
lady?" 


38  Graded  Missionary  Education 

So  then  the  hat-lady  told  a  story  about  the  picture. 
Can  you  guess  what  it  was?  And  after  it  was  ended 
she  leaned  'way  over  and  dropped  the  card  right  into 
Zekieh's  lap ! 

"  I  think  the  boys  and  girls  in  America  who  had  these 
cards  in  Sunday  School  and  saved  them  to  send  to  me, 
would  .  like  you  to  have  this  one,"  she  said,  "  because 
you  have  a  baby  brother." 

And  after  that  there  were  other  pictures ;  one  was  of  a 
man  with  a  beautiful  face  making  a  poor  sick  woman 
well,  and  in  the  next  were  some  children  gathered  up 
close  around  him,  and  in  another  it  was  dark  and  rainy, 
and  the  same  man  was  carrjdng  a  little  lamb  into  the 
fold.  Zekieh  hugged  her  card  and  her  eyes  grew  bigger 
and  bigger  as  she  listened.  "  I  never  knew  there  was 
anybody  as  nice  as  this  Jesus-man,"  she  whispered  to 
Fatima.  "  Don't  you  wish  the  hat-lady  would  come  every 
single  day  to  tell  us  about  him?" 

Perhaps  the  lady  heard.  Anyway,  when  the  last  story 
had  been  told  and  the  very  last  picture  had  been  given 
away,  and  the  hat-lady  had  stood  up  ready  to  start  back 
to  her  house  in  another  part  of  the  city,  what  do  you 
suppose  she  said?  She  spoke  to  all  the  children  together, 
but  Zekieh  thought  she  looked  straight  at  her,  and  she 
smiled  again  in  that  way  that  made  Zekieh  feel  warm 
all  over. 

"We  tell  stories  about  the  Jesus-man  every  Sunday 
morning  over  at  the  corner  of  the  market.  Sometimes 
there  are  pictures  too,  and  I'd  like  you  to  come  if  you 
want  to,"  was  what  she  said. 

Zekieh  stood  and  watched  until  the  lady  was  quite  out 
of  sight  around  the  corner;  then  she  started  off  to  show 
the  baby  in  the  picture  to  her  own  baby  brother. 

"Are  you  going — on  Sunday?"  whispered  Fatima,  close 
beside  her. 

"  Well,  I  guess  I  am ! "  answered  Zekieh. 


In  the  Church  School  39 

Two  Brown  Babies* 

One  morning  Juana  and  Carlos  stood  at  a  schoolhouse 
door,  wishing  they  could  go  inside.  If  you  could  have 
looked  at  them  you  would  have  seen  two  very  brown 
children,  who  were  very  tiny  too.  The  friend  who  told 
me  this  story  called  them  "the  Brown  Babies."  They 
were  peeping  into  a  room  full  of  children  who  were 
busy  at  work,  just  as  you  would  be  in  school.  They  called 
their  teacher  by  a  pretty  name — la  Sefiorita.  If  you  should 
go  to  this  school,  you  would  have  to  sail  over  a  beau- 
tiful blue  sea  to  a  place  called  Porto  Rico.  That  is  what 
la  Senorita  did,  so  that  she  could  teach  the  children  who 
lived  there  how  to  be  good,  and  could  tell  them  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

Juana  and  Carlos  wished  they  could  hear  the  stories 
the  other  children  heard.  But  la  Senorita  saw  they  had 
no  clothing,  and  without  any  they  could  not  be  in  the 
school.  She  had  no  empty  chairs  either,  so  she  shook 
her  head  and  said,  "No,"  just  as  your  teacher  would  if 
there  was  no  room  in  your  school. 

Big  brother  Jose  was  in  schoolj  busy  with  his  lessons. 
He  had  told  the  brown  babies  some  of  the  things  he 
had  learned,  and  how  God  loved  such  little  brown  peo- 
ple as  they  were.  That  day  when  waiting  outside,  Jose 
thought  of  a  way  to  help.  After  school  he  went  out  into 
the  country,  and  went  up  the  steps  of  a  pretty  house  to 
a  lady  sitting  on  the  piazza. 

"  Sefiora,"  he  said  politely,  "  I  wish  to  have  some  coco- 
nuts." 

"We  have  no  coconuts  to  give  away,"  said  the  lady. 
"  But  I  wish  to  buy  some,"  explained  Jose ;  "  I  wish  to 
buy  and  sell.  I  will  pay  one  cent  for  each  coconut;  then 
I  will  carry  them  to  the  city  and  sell  them  for  two  cents." 

*  Adapted  from  the  story  given  in  "  Over  Sea  and  Land,"  and  re- 
produced in  "  See  Latin-North  America  Without  Leaving  Home," 
published  by  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society. 


40  Graded  Missionary  Education 

"What  will  you  do  with  the  money?"  asked  the  lady. 

"  Buy  clothes,"   answered  Jose. 

"  But  you  have  clothes,"  said  the  lady, 

"  Oh !  "  exclaimed  Jose,  "  I  want  them  for  the  little  ones, 
so  they  too  may  go  to  school." 

"  Then  you  may  have  the  coconuts  without  pay,"  said 
the  lady. 

"  I  wish   to    earn  the  money,    Senora,"    replied   Jose. 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  lady ;  "  you  may  help  yourself." 

For  three  days  Jose  worked  hard  gathering  coconuts 
and  carrying  them  into  the  city.  On  the  fourth  morning 
he  went  straight  to  the  teacher,  his  hands  full  of  money. 

"  I  have  the  money  to  buy  clothes  for  the  children  so 
they  can  come  to  school.     Please  take  it  and  buy." 

La  Seiiorita  asked  Jose  where  the  money  came  from. 
When  he  told  her  he  earned  every  bit  of  it  himself,  she 
could  not  refuse  to  let  the  brown  babies  come  in.  She 
bought  clothes  for  them.  She  also  wrote  to  some  friends 
and  asked  them  to  pay  for  two  chairs,  and  so  they  did. 
Juana  and  Carlos  are  now  happy  in  school,  and  are 
growing  better  just  as  God  meant  them  to  grow. 

The  International  Graded  Lessons  have  mission- 
ary stories  under  the  themes,  "  Love  Shown  by 
Giving,"  "  The  Helpers  of  Jesus  Carrying  on  His 
Work,"  "  The  Needs  of  Children  the  Wide  World 
Over."  The  last  of  these  has  special  reference  to 
the  North  American  Indians,  the  Eskimos,  and  the 
Japanese. 

In  the  Primary  Lessons  of  "  The  Completely 
Graded  Series,"  under  the  title  "Jesus'  Way  of 
Love  and  Service,"  there  are  lessons  cultivating 
the  missionary  spirit,  such  as  "  Willing  to  Serve," 
"  Showing  Friendship,"  etc. 


hi  the  Church  School  41 

A  Summary  of  Missionary  Training  During  Three 
Years  in  a  Primary  Department 

Training: 

In  care  for  animals — especially  disabled  ones: 
lame  dogs,  old  horses,  etc. 

In  kindness  to  the  aged — visiting  old  people  with 
flowers,  etc.,  singing  to  them. 

Through  small  gifts  to  the  home  church,  to  the 
other  departments  of  the  Sunday  School  (flowers, 
a  vase,  a  picture),  to  the  pastor,  superintendent, 
janitor.     (See  page  19.) 

By  concrete  information  of  schools  and  homes 
for  children,  and  gifts  to  these. 

Through  stories  of  child  life  in  mission  lands. 

Through  simple  instruction  about  organized 
"  helpers,"  such  as  a  city  missionary  society  and  a 
society  for  the  establishment  of  Sunday  Schools, 
with  gifts  to  these. 

Additional  Books  and  Pamphlets  Suggestive  to 
Primary  Teachers 

Trumbull,  H.  C. :  "  Child  Life  in  Many  Lands." 
Diffendorfer,  Ralph  E. :  "  Child  Life  in  Mission 

Lands." 
Andrews,  Jane :  "  Seven  Little  Sisters." 
Hall,  Katherine  Stanley:  "Children  at  Play  in 

Many  Lands." 

Smith,  Mary  E. :  "  Eskimo  Stones." 

Griggs,  W.  C :  "  The  Children  in  Mission  Lands." 

D 


IV 


MISSIONARY  INSTRUCTION  AND  WORK 

FOR  CHILDREN  OF  NINE  TO  TWELVE 

YEARS 

What  to  Do 

Very  live  work  needs  to  be  planned  for  these 
boys  and  girls,  whether  it  be  by  way  of  instruction 
or  by  service.  They  are  overflowing  with  energy, 
they  must  be  doing  something,  and  the  subjects 
presented  to  them  for  study  need  to  be  full  of 
life.  Mere  sentiment  will  not  appeal  during  these 
years.  If  there  is  action  admirable  to  these  chil- 
dren, their  feelings  are  stirred,  and  the  will  to  act 
in  the  same  way  is  called  into  play. 

The  field  is  large  from  which  to  draw  both  for 
missionary  subjects  and  objects  of  missionary 
service,  for  these  boys  and  girls  are  intensely  in- 
terested in  stories  of  exciting  action  and  danger- 
ous exploit,  such  as  often  form  a  part  of  a  mis- 
sionary's life,  especially  one  of  earlier  days.  The 
children  enter  with  zest  into  geographical  study 
if  the  places  are  connected  with  the  life  of  those 
whom  they  know  or  study  about.  The  latter  part 
of  this  period  (which  is  that  from  nine  to  twelve 
42 


In  the  Church  School  43 

years)  is  the  time  of  all  others  when  the  museum 
attracts,  when  the  boy  and  girl  care  much  to  see 
collections  of  interesting  objects,  and  anything  for- 
eign and  strange  has  a  fascination.  These  interests 
are  suggestive  in  relation  to  missionary  training. 

Home  philanthropies  will  not  appeal  so  much  as 
the  doing  for  an  uncivilized  people,  or  a  people  of 
curious  and  strange  customs.  This  is  the  time  for 
definite  study  of  foreign  missionary  countries,  and 
for  stories  of  some  of  the  brave  men  who  lived  and 
died  to  make  the  people  Christian.  With  this 
knowledge  and  related  to  it,  plans  should  be  in- 
troduced for  definite  service. 

Foreign  missions  are  not,  however,  the  only  thing 
for  this  period.  There  is  another  part  of  mission- 
ary training  that  touches  the  practical  every-day 
Christian  living  of  these  boys  and  girls.  They 
admire  and  are  increasingly  interested  in  the  brave 
man — the  hero.  The  stories  of  the  knights  of 
olden  time  have  a  charm.  The  children's  moral 
standard  needs  to  be  raised.  They  should  be  en- 
couraged in  the  practice  of  knightly  deeds  of  cour- 
tesy and  kindness,  of  courage  and  of  heroic  obedi- 
ence. To  help  an  old  woman  with  a  heavy  basket, 
or  to  give  up  a  seat  to  one  who  needs  it,  is  the  busi- 
ness of  a  knight  of  to-day.  To  shield  and  assist 
the  distressed  and  oppressed  is  the  greatest  work 
of  a  hero. 

To  be  a  knight  or  a  hero  may  mean  more  to 
this  boy  and  girl  than  to  be  a  missionary,  but  the 


44  Graded  Missionary  Education 

spirit  back  of  the  names  may  be  one  and  the  same. 
Does  it  not  stir  one's  admiration  to  see  a  manly 
little  fellow  give  his  seat  in  a  street-car  to  an  old 
man?  When  this  occurred  one  day  it  seemed  as 
if  the  eyes  of  all  round  about  glowed  with  more 
kindly  feeling  than  before.  Again,  when  a  small 
newsboy  said,  in  response  to  a  stranger's  inquiry, 
"  I'll  show  you,  ma'am,  the  way  to  the  station," 
it  was  interesting  to  see  his  glad  look  of  satisfaction 
as  the  lady  thanked  him  graciously  for  "  having 
helped  her  so  much — she  needed  a  gentleman  to 
show  her, the  way."  The  boy,  when  he  offered, 
may  have  looked  for  a  nickel;  the  lady  suspected 
that  he  did,  but  she  did  him  more  good  than  money 
could  do — she  made  a  knight  of  him  for  the  mo- 
ment, and  the  boy  zvas  satisfied. 

Individual  interest  is  strong  in  the  early  part 
of  this  period:  /,  me,  mine,  stand  out  strikingly. 
Desire  for  leadership  is  keen.  Recognizing  these 
tendencies,  without  opposing  them,  it  is  possible  to 
turn  them  into  channels  of  righteousness.  These 
egoistic  youngsters  should  be  made  leaders  in  good 
projects,  should  be  led  to  feel  that,  being  strong, 
they  must  protect  the  weak,  and  should  be  given 
certain  responsibilities  as  members  of  the  church 
family.    Clara  Bancroft  Beatley  has  well  said: 

The  children's  work  at  day-school,  even  with  the  best 
of  teachers,  tends  to  self-attention  and  self-advancement. 
The  child  must  possess  certain  measures  of  self  before  he 
can  appreciate  the  needs  of  others,  but  he  should  not  be 


In  the  Church  School  45 

permitted  to  wait  for  adolescence  to  know  something  of 
the  rewarding  joys  of  service.  In  early  years  the  church 
groups  may  provide  just  that  form  of  social  activity 
which  will  show  to  the  child  his  place  of  helpfulness  in 
his  own  home,  and  in  the  larger  world  of  others.  The 
balance  of  the  individual  and  the  social  may  be  acquired 
in  the  formative  years,  and  through  continuous  training 
may  be  preserved  for  the  years  to  come. 

To  name  all  the  great  and  the  good  whose  service  began 
in  childhood  is  impossible.  Within  a  century  the  lives  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  Alfred  Tennyson,  John  Greenleaf  Whit- 
tier,  Harriet  Beecher,  Louisa  May  Alcott,  and  Alice 
Freeman  are  but  a  few  of  the  great  examples  whose 
powers  of  leadership  were  called  forth  by  the  simple 
tasks  and  responsibilities  of  childhood.^  Every  home 
should  aim  to  provide  for  such  early  service  by  the  shar- 
ing of  the  family  cares,  gradually  enlarging  its  interests  to 
include  those  of  the  larger  family  of  the  church.  If  the 
home  of  to-day,  through  changed  conditions,  fails  to  train 
its  children  in  tasks  of  service,  herein  may  be  found  the 
larger  opportunity  of  the  church.  The  great  human 
family  is  forever  calling  out  in  its  need,  and  willing 
hands  and  feet  may  go  on  mercy's  errands  everyivhere. 

The  church  should  welcome  the  children  into  a  definite 
progressive  work  for  humanity,  no  school  of  the  church 
being  complete  without  a  carefully  arranged  plan  for 
social  service. 


How  to  Do  It 

I.  Plan  for  training  in  knight-li-ness  or  gentle- 
manli-ness  in  the  simplest  ways  (in  spirit  these  are 

^  As  regards  missionaries,  Martha  B.  Hixson  tells  us  that  *'  through 
some  incident  in  childhood,  Alexander  Duff,  Fidelia  Fiske,  Eliza  Ag- 
new,  Alexander  Mackay,  and  others  received  their  first  impulse  to 
become  missionaries,"     "  Missions  in  the  Sunday  School,"  p.  3. 


46  Graded  Missionary  Education 

one  and  the  same ;  some  one  has  well  said  a  gentle- 
man is  one  considerate  of  others) .  Any  complete  or- 
ganization, such  as  "  The  Knights  of  King  Arthur," 
had  better  be  reserved  for  the  next  grade,  the  '*  inter- 
mediate "  or  "  senior  grammar  grade."  For  girls  of 
nine  and  ten  years  we  doubt  the  wisdom  of  any  or- 
ganization, such  as  ''  The  Blue  Birds,"  recently  ar- 
ranged to  precede  the  Camp  Fire  Girls,  which  is  so 
fitting  in  its  place.  It  is  better  first  to  encourage  do- 
ing as  individuals  because  this  is  the  more  natural 
way  at  this  age,  and  it  does  not  interfere  with 
home  duties  and  interests  which  should  stand  first. 
When  group  work  begins,  it  had  better  be  through 
simple  home  and  school  relations,  rather  than  in 
a  community  or  national  organization.  Now  is  the 
time  to  form  a  standard  of  Christian  womanliness 
before  the  superficial  notions  of  ladylikeness  find 
a  place.  Acts  of  courtesy,  thoughtfulness  for 
teachers  and  visitors,  and  especially  respect  for 
the  aged  may  be  practised  as  opportunity  occurs 
in  the  Sunday  School  room  if  the  pupils  are  as- 
sembled in  a  department  and  a  room  by  themselves. 
The  children  are  not  so  self-conscious  as  they  will 
be  later,  and  are  very  ready  to  act  as  leaders  in 
ofi'ering  seats  and  books,  in  carrying  things,  open- 
ing doors,  etc.,  if  such  action  is  encouraged  and 
planned  for.  These  "  little  "  things  are  worth  heed- 
ing: they  cultivate  a  habit  of  looking  out  to  help 
people. 

Insignia  of  any  kind  is  attractive  to  these  boys 


In  the  Church  School  47 

and  girls,  and  a  simple  badge  of  honor  for  trying 
to  be  true  and  kind  is  worth  much.  The  children 
may  be  put  on  their  honor  to  remove  it  if  they  do 
not  try.  This  is  only  one  way  of  cultivating  the 
spirit,  and  it  will  not  be  effective  always,  and  can- 
not be  used  continuously  to  any  advantage. 

The  story  of  ''  The  Knighting  of  the  Twins,"  if 
adapted,  is  a  good  one  to  use  (see  book  bearing 
this  title  by  Clyde  Fitch),  also  that  of  "  How  Cedric 
Became  a  Knight,"  if  changed  to  suit  these  older 
children  rather  than  the  little  ones  for  whom  Eliza- 
beth Harrison  has  told  it.  (See  "  In  Story  Land.") 

Such  stories  may  be  given  from  the  department 
platform  or  related  to  suitable  lessons  for  a  single 
class  (do  not  supplement  in  an  unrelated  way),  or 
occasionally  be  put  in  the  place  of  "  the  regular 
lesson  "  if  they  fit  the  plan  of  training  better  than 
that  does. 

If  the  lessons  are  from  the  life  of  Jesus  there 
will  be  many  opportunities  to  show  how  he  helped 
the  oppressed  and  the  unfortunate. 

Examples  from  the  every-day  experiences  of  the 
pupils  may  be  made  use  of;  e.  g.,  when  Lincoln's 
birthday  is  celebrated  in  school  and  community,  it 
may  be  emphasized  in  Sunday  School  that  he  was 
like  Jesus,  in  that  he  sought  to  make  men  free. 

Without  direct  application  the  question  may  be 
suggestively  raised.  Where  are  the  oppressed  and 
unfortunate  for  us  to  help?  Backward  schoolmates 
may  be  assisted.     Children   of   another  race — the 


_)8  Graded  Missionary  Education 

Jew,  the  Negro,  the  Chinese — ^may  be  respected  and 
kindly  treated;  it  would  be  helpful  to  show  how 
in  many  qualities  they  are  equal  to  our  own  race. 
On  the  other  hand,  reference  to  their  needs  and 
the  countries  from  which  they  come  will  lead  to 
foreign  missions. 

Kindness  to  animals,  as  well  as  to  persons,  should 
be  encouraged,  especially  to  those  who  are  crippled 
and  needy.  The  Sunday  School  as  well  as  the  day- 
school  should  emphasize  "  a  Band  of  Mercy  "  spirit. 
The  simple  pledge,  ''  I  will  try  to  be  kind  to  all  liv- 
ing creatures  and  try  to  protect  them  from  cruel 
usage,"  is  fitting  for  these  boys  and  girls.  ''  Our 
Dumb  Animals,"  published  by  The  American  Hu- 
mane Education  Society,  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
provides  stories  like  those  given  below,  and  in  this 
paper  it  is  stated : 

"  We  send  without  cost  to  every  person  who 
forms  a  Band  of  Mercy  of  thirty  members,  and 
sends  us  the  name  chosen  for  the  Band  and  the 
name  and  post-office  address  of  the  president  who 
has  been  duly  elected: 

"  I.  *  Our  Dumb  Animals  '  for  one  year. 

"  2.  Twenty  leaflets,  containing  pictures,  stories, 
poems,  addresses,  reports,  etc. 

"  3.  Copy  of  '  Songs  of  Happy  Life.* 

"  4.  An  imitation-gold  badge  for  the  president." 

The  stories  that  follow,  besides  cultivating  a  spirit 
of  thoughtfulness,  may  help  to  form  an  ideal  of 
faithful  service  and  of  giving  life  to  save  the  lost. 


In  the  Cliurch  School  49 


Old  Tom 

John  Porter  mounted  the  veranda  steps  with  an  ap- 
prehensive heart.  Yet  he  reassured  himself :  "  Better  brace 
up  and  tell  her — the  sooner  the  better."  Mrs.  Porter  looked 
up  smilingly  from  her  letters  which  the  postman  had  just 
left.  Her  pleasant  attitude  made  his  task  the  harder.  But 
feeling  that  the  dreadful  ordeal  would  give  ease  to  his 
troubled  conscience,  he  sat  down,  and  began : 

"  Now,  Doris,  you  mustn't  take  on  over  what  I'm  about 
to  say  to  you.  But  I  may  as  well  out  with  it  first  as 
last.  I've  sold  Old  Tom.  I  hadn't  expected  to  sell  the 
old  fellow;  I'm  sorry  already,  but  I  had  a  chance  to  get 
fifteen  dollars  for  him,  and  if  he  couldn't  have  got  rid 
of  that  cough  and  rheumatics,  even  a  jockey  soon  wouldn't 
have  bought  him  for  three." 

Porter  expected  a  protest  of  words,  but  there  was 
complete  silence.  The  accusing  sentence  of  a  court  of  jus- 
tice could  not  have  given  him  a  keener  torture.  At  last, 
in  a  strange  tone  his  wife  inquired:  "Who  bought  Old 
Tom?" 

"  Tony  Menzi." 

"  That  huckster  that  was  around  yesterday?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Has  the  man  gone  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  started  with  him  for  the  city  at  three  o'clock 
this  morning." 

Then  Mrs.  Porter  spoke.  "John,  I'm  going  to  say 
something  I've  never  thought,  felt,  or  said  before,  /'m 
ashamed  of  you!  You've  often  made  a  protest  at  cruelty 
in  the  community,  but  what  have  you  done,  but  a  thought- 
less and  cruel  deed?  Tom  gave  us  twenty  years*  work  for 
nothing  but  his  board.  He's  hardly  ever  had  a  whole 
week-day  of  rest.  It's  been  Tom  here  and  Tom  there, 
always  put  to  do  the  extra  jobs,  and  trips  to  town  often 
when  he  was  tired  out.     And  now,  just  because  he  was 


50  Graded  Missionary  Education 

getting  old  and  lame  and  had  a  cough,  you've  sold  him 
to  a  life  of  misery  and  neglect.  I  thought  you  despised 
a  traitor.  But  what  else  have  you  been  to  Old  Tom? 
I  wish  I  could  at  least  have  said  good-bye  to  him,  and 
told  him  how  faithful  he  has  been !  " 

Porter  knew  he  had  the  wrong  side  of  the  argument, 
yet  he  made  a  spirited  defense,  saying  that  farmers  were 
a  practical  sort,  and  couldn't  let  "  chicken-heartedness " 
stand  in  the  way  of  business.  Seeing  his  words  were  of 
no  effect,  a  happy  thought  struck  him.  He  took  out  his 
pocketbook  and  tossed  three  five-dollar  bills  into  his 
wife's  lap. 

"  I  heard  you  talking  about  a  new  dress  the  other " 

But  she  did  not  wait  for  him  to  finish. 

"  Do  you  think  I  could  wear  a  dress  bought  with  the 
price  of  Old  Tom?    I'd  rather  wear  a  three-cent  calico!" 

Little  more  was  said,  but  each  day  at  the  time  Porter 
had  been  used  to  prepare  Old  Tom's  bran  mash,  he  had 
a  strange  sense  of  remorse  and  longing  for  the  faithful 
old  creature,  and  a  feeling  of  loneliness  came  over  him 
as  he  passed  the  empty  stall. 


Over  a  year  later  Porter,  on  a  business  trip,  was  driving 
his  "  machine "  through  a  beautiful  section  of  country 
several  hundred  miles  from  home.  He  heard  angry  shouts 
and  saw  a  short  distance  ahead  a  heavily  loaded  wagon 
and  a  fallen  horse.  Something  was  wrong,  and  he  stopped 
his  auto.  The  wagon  was  twice  too  heavily  loaded  for 
the  old  horse  that  had  passed  from  one  master  to  an- 
other, and  had  at  last  been  sold  to  an  ignorant,  coarse 
pedler.  The  man  had  been  whipping  the  horse,  but  find- 
ing that  of  no  use,  was  securing  a  fence-rail  to  beat  the 
old  creature  yet  more  violently. 

"  Put  that  club  down !  "  commanded  Porter.  "  What's 
the  trouble?" 


In  the  Cliurch  School  51 

The  pedler  obeyed,  pointing  angrily  to  the  horse  and 
wagon.  "He  notta  no  good!  I  pay  free  dollar!  Man 
cheat.     Horse  notta  no  good !     I  kill  him !  " 

Porter  freed  the  horse  from  the  miserable,  ill-fitting 
harness.  A  faint  neigh  of  recognition  greeted  him.  It  was 
Old  Tom! 


"  It's  the  first  time  John  ever  forgot,"  thought  Mrs. 
Porter  with  a  wistful  smile,  as  the  day  passed  on  to 
afternoon  and  no  reference  was  made  to  her  birthday.  The 
pleasing  little  "  surprise "  gift  that  alwa3^s  marked  the 
day  was  lacking. 

She  heard  voices  at  the  side  veranda  and,  going  out, 
was  greeted  by  a  sight  that  filled  her  eyes  with  joyful 
tears.  Her  birthday  gift  had  not  been  forgotten.  Old 
Tom's  familiar  face  greeted  her — just  a  shadow  of  his 
former  self,  silent  as  to  the  harrowing  experiences  of 
the  past  year,  but  neighing  for  joy  at  the  sound  of  her 
familiar  voice. 

"  Old  fellow,  your  vacation  has  just  begun,"  said  Porter; 
"  but  I  fear  it's  come  pretty  late.  You'll  be  a  star  boarder 
as  long  as  you  care  to  stay.     I've  learned  my  lesson." 

Old  Tom  was  a  star  boarder  for  two  months.  Then 
one  dreamy  autumn  morning  he  was  found  "  asleep  "  under 
the  whispering  chestnut  tree  where  in  his  busy  life  he 
had  seldom  had  a  restful  hour  in  its  peaceful  shadows. — 
Alice  Jean  Cleator,  in  '*  Our  Dumb  Animals." 

The  Story  of  Barry  ^ 

The  following  story  of  Barry  is  taken  in  part  from 
"Dogs  of  all  Nations,"  by  Conrad  J.  Miller,  who  says 
nothing,   however,   about   the   way   Barry  finally   lost   his 

-  Used  by  permission  of  The  American  Humane  Education  Society, 
Boston,  Mass. 


52  Graded  Missionary  Education 

life,  and  makes  no  mention  of  the  monument  in  his 
memory  set  up  in  the  Dog  Cemetery  in  Paris : 

Mr.  Miller  says :  "  On  the  highest  point  of  the  moun- 
tain pass  that  leaves  Martigny  in  the  valley  of  the  Rhone 
across  the  Great  Bernard  into  Italy,  there  stands  in  a 
dreary  solitude,  shut  in  by  wild,  rugged  mountains  covered 
with  eternal  snow,  the  most  elevated  dwelling-place  in  the 
Old  World — the  Hospice  of  Saint  Bernard.  Ten  or  twelve 
monks  reside  here  in  the  midst  of  the  most  complete 
wilderness,  where  winter  reigns  eight  or  nine  months.  .  .  . 
The  Hospice  offers  to  every  one  a  refuge,  with  kindly 
help  and  care.  The  monks  are  especially  busy  in  winter- 
time, when  they  go  forth  to  seek  and  rescue  the  lost 
wanderer.  Every  year  many  lives  are  saved  through  their 
endeavors.  Specially  trained  dogs  accompany  the  monks, 
or  are  sent  out  alone  to  search  for  those  in  danger." 

The  rest  of  the  story  of  the  brave  dog  is  substantially 
this:  It  seems  that  two  travelers  were  lost  in  the  Alps 
in  a  blinding  snow-storm.  One  of  them  in  his  extremity 
insisted  that,  as  a  last  resort,  he  should  have  recourse  to 
the  brandy  flask.  His  comrade  urged  upon  him  the  folly 
of  this,  inasmuch  as  after  a  brief  period  of  exhilaration, 
the  reaction  would  leave  him  in  a  worse  condition  than 
before.  Refusing  the  advice  of  his  friend,  he  drank  heavily, 
and  after  forging  ahead  for  a  short  distance,  became 
utterly  exhausted  and  sank  in  the  snow.  His  companion 
struggled  on,  and  at  last  was  able  to  reach  the  friendly 
shelter  of  the  Hospice.  Here  he  told  the  story  of  his 
lost  fellow  traveler. 

Barry  was  called  by  the  monks  and  told  to  take  the 
traveler's  trail,  which  he  did,  finding  at  length  the  man 
who  had  been  left  behind,  unconscious  in  the  snow.  Barry 
finally,  by  various  methods,  roused  him  from  his  stupor, 
only  to  be  mistaken  by  the  more  or  less  dazed  man  for  a 
wild  beast.  With  what  remaining  strength  he  had,  the 
traveler  managed  to  get  his  knife  out  of  his  pocket  and 


In  the  Church  School  53 

plunge  it  into  Barry's  neck.  In  spite  of  this,  the  faith- 
ful dog  kept  at  his  task  until  the  traveler  realized  that 
he  had  evidently  been  found  by  one  of  the  dogs  of  the 
Hospice.  He  struggled  to  his  feet,  and  half  leaning  on 
the  'dog,  whose  strength  was  rapidly  failing  from  loss 
of  blood,  finally  reached  the  Hospice.  On  its  threshold 
this  noble  creature,  who  had  stained  every  step  of  the 
way  with  his  own  life-blood,  fell  exhausted,  having  given 
to  all  humanity  a  lesson  in  fidelity  to  a  trust  as  great  as 
could  well  be  taught. 

On  the  monument  in  the  cemetery  in  Paris  is  the  fol- 
lowing inscription :  "  He  saved  the  lives  of  forty  persons, 
and  was  killed  by  the  forty-first." 

2.  The  above  is  fundamental  for  considering 
"  simple  community  service  in  home,  school,  and 
church  '* ;  this  "  second  line  of  approach  "  only  sug- 
gests more  definite  work.  That  of  messenger  in 
either  place  may  be  linked  to  the  knighthood  idea. 
Cultivate  a  pride  in  being  chosen  to  be  a  messenger 
of  the  church.  "  Who  can  be  trusted  ?  "  may  arouse 
ambition  in  the  right  direction.  Provide  some  defi- 
nite errands  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  school  or 
the  church:  it  may  be  for  each  child  to  carry  six 
invitations  to  as  many  homes  (if  there  is  reason  to 
doubt  the  faithfulness  of  the  messenger,  trust  him 
with  only  one,  but  do  not  let  him  know  of  the 
doubt)  ;  it  may  be  to  carry  flowers  to  a  sick  pupil 
or  friend ;  it  may  be  to  carry  a  note  to  the  minister 
or  to  the  superintendent.  Make  errands  for  the 
good  of  the  children,  by  which  they  can  serve  the 
church. 


54  Graded  Missionary  Education 

In  an  article  on  "  Relating  the  Child  to  the  Com- 
munity Through  the  Home  "  ^  Nannie  Lee  Frayser 
shows  that  an  opportunity  is  open  to  parents  and 
teachers  for  forming  standards  and  leading  to  help- 
fulness in  the  community.    She  says : 

It  was  interesting  in  talking  informally  with  a  group 
of  about  thirty  boys  and  girls  who  came  from  normal 
American  homes,  to  gather  the  ideas  which  they  had 
formed  regarding  community  life  and  the  duties  which 
they,  their  parents,  and  their  companions  owed  to  it.  It 
was  equally  interesting  to  hear  them  state  quite  frankly 
their  ideas  regarding  the  relative  positions  of  men,  women, 
and  children  in  a  community  life,  and  to  find  out  in  what 
ways  they  felt  the  community  as  a  group  force  had  con- 
tributed to  their  welfare. 

Strange  to  say,  the  majority  of  them  seemed  to  feel 
that  a  woman  had  no  civic  duty  whatever  beyond  the 
confines  of  her  own  front  door.  They  did  not  even  carry 
her  so  far  as  the  front  lawn,  for  here,  they  considered,  the 
opportunities  of  boys  and  girls  began.  One  little  girl 
did  permit  her  mother  to  perform  the  function  of  seeing 
that  the  front  porch  was  kept  spotlessly  clean  in  order 
that  the  neighborhood  ideal  should  be  kept  up  to  the 
standard,  but  the  majority  of  the  children  decided  that  a 
woman's  place  was  in  the  house,  preferably  "  to  see  that  it 
is  kept  clean" 

One  enterprising  and  quite  revolutionary  boy  of  eleven 
stated  emphatically  that  he  thought  women  ought  to  belong 
to  women's  clubs  in  order  to  learn  better  how  to  help  their 
community,  and  one  long-headed  little  fellow  suggested 
that  they  ought  to  vote,  especially  on  school  matters  because 
they  had  the  most  to  say  about  the  education  of  the  chil- 

3  See  "The  Pilgrim  Teacher,"  December,   1913. 


In  the  Church  School  55 

dren.  One  suggested  that  they  might  be  on  boards  of 
control  for  the  management  of  philanthropic  and  public 
institutions  because  they  knew  so  much  about  housekeep- 
ing. But  in  the  main  their  ideas  regarding  the  contributions 
which  women  should  make  to  the  community  were  rather 
hazy. 

As  to  the  men,  they  seemed  to  have  quite  a  flood  of 
illuminating  ideas.  They  thought  "  making  speeches  "  was 
quite  a  necessary  civic  duty  for  men.  That  they  should 
vote  for  the  people  who  would  enforce  good  laws  and 
maintain  a  moral  standard  in  the  community  seemed  a 
perfectly  natural  conclusion.  One  girl  even  went  so  far 
as  to  say  that  she  thought  a  man  could  show  real  public 
spirit  by  paying  his  tax  bills  promptly  as  well  as  giving 
the  same  righteous  attention  to  the  licenses  for  his  animals 
and  automobile. 

One  boy  said  he  thought  a  man  ought  always  to  cast 
his  vote  for  that  candidate  whose  platform  stood  for  the 
good  of  the  community  if  he  wanted  truly  to  serve  his 
fellow  citizens. 

One  boy  stated  his  thought  in  these  exact  words,  "A 
man  can  give  subscriptions  to  movements  for  civic  good, 
and  let  the  police  know  if  any  one  has  done  wrong,  as 
well  as  vote  for  the  right  person."  This  boy  was  eleven 
years  old. 

As  to  what  the  community  had  done  for  others  they 
were  quick  to  mention  the  agencies  that  had  been  estab- 
lished by  the  city  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  needed  the 
city's  parental  care,  and  chief  among  these  agencies  they 
regarded  the  "  Babies'  Milk  Fund "  and  the  "  Industrial 
Home." 

When  it  came  to  the  question  of  what  the  community 
had  done  for  them  individually,  the  library  came  first  every 
time,  and  after  that  the  parks  and  the  playgrounds.  As 
they  thought  it  out,  however,  they  included  fire  depart- 
ments, police  protection,  street  cleaning  and  lighting,  pub- 


56  Graded  Missionary  Education 

He  schools,  art  exhibitions,  free  concerts,  the  laws  which 
safeguard  life,  street  paving,  swimming-pools,  and  all 
the  things  which  make  life  in  a  city  delightful. 

It  was  very  easy  to  lead  this  group  of  boys  and  girls 
to  feel  that  as  people  think  together  for  the  benefit  of  the 
community  good  laws  are  the  result  of  that  thinking, 
and  that  all  good  citizens  obey  good  laws. 

But  when  it  came  down  to  what  they  individually 
had  done  for  their  community  in  return  for  its  expendi- 
ture of  social  thought  on  them,  they  seemed  lost  for 
a  while.  Finally,  one  timidly  ventured  that  he  had  "  kited  " 
banana  peelings  off  the  sidewalk,  another  that  she  had 
never  thrown  any  trash  on  the  public  highway,  one  that 
he  had  not  defaced  any  public  property,  another  that  he 
had  directed  people  to  the  correct  street  when  they  were 
not  familiar  with  the  locality,  another  that  he  had  shoveled 
the  snow  off  his  own  front  pavement  as  quickly  as  possible 
after  it  had  fallen,  another  that  he  had  tried  not  to  yell 
so  loudly  that  he  would  disturb  his  neighbors,  one  that 
his  family  tried  to  bum  only  such  coal  as  would  send 
out  no  smoke  to  his  neighbors  and  he  liked  to  take  care 
of  such  a  fire,  and  one  that  she  had  planted  flowers  in  her 
front  and  back  yard  where  she  thought  her  neighbors 
could  enjoy  them,  and  on  and  on  it  went  through  a  gamut 
of  simple  and  homely  things. 

Does  this  subject  seem  far  afield  from  Sunday 
School  teaching?  Has  it  not  in  it  the  spirit  of 
the  Ten  Commandments  for  to-day?  Does  it  seem 
far  afield  from  missions?  Has  it  not  in  it  the 
missionary  spirit  of  sacrifice  and  effort  for  another's 
good?  Such  a  spirit  will  tend  to  a  life  spent  to  save 
men  from  sin. 

3.  The  study  of  foreign  missions,  and  work  for 
these,  may  grow  naturally  from : 


In  the  Church  School  S7 

a.  Reference  to  children  of  other  races  in 
school  or  community.  (See  page  47.) 

b.  Study  of  Bible  heroes  leading  to  Chris- 
tian heroes  of  a  later  time. 

c.  Study  of  the  Bible  as  a  book,  leading  to 
the  work  of  the  Bible  Society  and  its  distribu- 
tion to  peoples  of  the  whole  world. 

(a.  and  c.)  Stories  of  immigrants  coming  from 
their  far-distant  homes  will  be  of  value.*  Informa- 
tion as  to  the  distribution  of  Bibles  at  the  harbor  of 
New  York  by  the  Bible  Society,  of  the  gladness  of 
the  people  in  receiving  a  book  in  their  home  tongue, 
and  of  how  some,  through  reading  it,  have  gone 
back  to  tell  the  gospel  to  their  friends,  may  do  a 
double  good:  arouse  the  pupil's  interest  in  helping 
forward  this  good  work,  and  develop  a  greater  rever- 
ence for  the  Bible  and  eagerness  on  their  own  part 
to  know  the  book. 

The  pamphlets  of  the  New  York  Bible  Society 
give  facts  and  incidents  of  which  the  following  are 
samples : 

It  does  home  and  foreign  missionary  work  at  the  same 
time,  by  supplying  the  Bible  in  different  languages  to  the 

*  "  Immigration  Picture  Stories,"  by  Fanny  L.  KoUock,  include  five 
pictures,  12  x  15  inches  each,  and  a  story  to  be  used  by  the  teacher 
with  each  picture.  "  Old  Country  Hero  Stories,"  by  Florence  M. 
Brown,  gives  heroic  incidents  from  the  lives  of  the  national  heroes 
of  the  countries  whose  peoples  are  in  America  in  large  numbers. 
These  could  be  read  in  a  week-day  class  gathering  rather  than  on 
Sunday,  or  by  the  children  to  themselves.  They  might  also  be 
adapted  for  special  occasions  on  Sunday. 


58  Graded  Missionary  Education 

immigrants  landing  at  Ellis  Island,  by  furnishing  the  Bible 
to  sailors  on  vessels  in  the  harbor,  by  placing  the  Bible 
in  hotels,  hospitals,  and  prisons.  It  distributes  the  Bible 
free  to  those  who  cannot  afford  to  pay  anything,  and  to 
all  others  at  cost.  It  has  circulated  in  one  year  338,404 
volumes  of  the  Bible  in  forty-one  languages  in  the  city 
and  harbor  of  New  York. 

Three  years  ago  an  educated  young  Russian  on  landing 
at  Ellis  Island  was  presented  with  a  New  Testament  in 
his  own  language,  by  a  missionary  of  the  New  York 
Bible  Society.  It  was  the  first  time  he  had  ever  seen 
any  portion  of  God's  word.  The  village  in  Russia  from 
which  he  came  had  not  a  single  Christian  living  within 
its  boundaries. 

One  Sunday,  some  time  after,  a  young  Russian  was 
baptized  in  one  of  the  churches  of  New  York  City.  He 
was  the  same  man  who  had  landed  at  Ellis  Island  and 
had  received  the  Testament.  He  had  been  converted 
through  reading  the  little  book,  and  had  decided  to  return 
to  his  own  country  as  a  missionary.  He  delayed  sailing 
in  order  that  he  might  be  baptized  in  the  country  where 
he  had  found  the  true  light.  His  parents  had  disowned 
him  because  of  his  conversion,  and  he  will  be  the  only 
Christian  in  his  village,  yet  he  has  gone  back  to  tell 
the  people  there  the  story  of  salvation. 

A  poor  woman  who  will  not  accept  the  Bible  free,  pays 
a  few  cents  each  for  New  Testaments.  One  of  these  she 
gave  to  a  girl  who  is  employed  in  a  down-town  office.  The 
girl  began  reading  it  during  her  lunch  hour.  Some  of  her 
companions  inquired  what  she  was  reading;  she  replied 
that  she  would  read  to  them,  and  for  a  considerable  time 
she  has  been  reading  the  New  Testament  to  a  company 
of  girls  employed  in  that  office. 

A  prisoner  in  Sing  Sing,  to  whom  a  Hungarian  Bible 
had  been  given,  said,  "The  happiest  day  I  ever  had  was 
the  Sunday  you  gave  me  the  Bible." 


In  the  Church  School  59 

Opportunities  for  service  will  come  in  this  con- 
nection. One  Sunday  School  group,  who  were 
familiar  with  the  coming  and  going  at  New  York 
harbor,  gave  scrap-books  and  kindergarten  occu- 
pations for  children  detained  on  Ellis  Island.  With 
such  things  an  offering  of  money  might  be  given  for 
Bibles  for  the  fathers  and  mothers. 

Pupils  will  be  interested  in  seeing  "  Specimen 
Verses  "  of  the  fifty-three  languages  in  which  the 
Bible  has  been  distributed  (Bible  Society  Leaflet). 

When  Sunday  School  lessons  are  on  the  Bible,  as 
in  one  part  of  the  Junior  Series  of  the  International 
Graded  Lessons,  or  in  "  The  Introduction  to  the 
Bible  "  of  "  the  Constructive  Bible  Studies,"  these 
missionary  plans  will  fit  well. 

(a.  and  b.)  In  turning  to  foreign  mission  studies, 
the  particular  country  chosen  to  begin  with  should 
depend  on  one  of  several  things :  the  foreign  children 
familiar  to  the  pupil,  the  heroes  studied  in  the  Sun- 
day School  lessons,  or  the  missionaries  connected 
with  the  local  church  of  which  the  school  is  a  part. 
It  may  be,  therefore,  China,  Africa,  or  some  other 
country,  and  each  of  these  might  be  taken  in  turn 
in  the  four  years  for  one  part  of  the  school  year, 
depending  on  conditions.  If  China  or  Japan  were 
the  special  interest  in  the  primary  department  from 
which  these  children  were  promoted,  it  would  be 
wise  to  take  a  fresh  topic. 

According  to  the  particular  approach,  whether  it 
is  to  be  by  way  of  the  immigrant,  say,  a  Chinaman 


6o  Graded  Missionary  Education 

in  the  home  vicinity,  or  by  way  of  some  hero,  such 
as  Livingstone,  or  by  some  Hve  missionary  famiHar 
to  the  pupils,  the  following  materials  and  methods 
will  fit  on  occasion. 

Stories  of  missionary  heroes,  such  as  Carey,  Mor- 
rison, Judson,  Whitman,  Evans,  Livingstone,  and 
Paton,  are  included  in  the  Sunday  School  lessons 
of  the  Junior  Series  of  the  International  Graded 
Course,  and  form  an  excellent  basis  for  interest  in 
and  service  for  the  countries  where  these  men 
labored.  At  this  age  of  interest  in  the  exciting  in- 
cident and  the  heroic  act,  there  is  especial  oppor- 
tunity for  arousing  desire  and  effort  to  continue 
the  brave  work  these  men  began.  What  do  these 
countries  need  now  ?  What  can  we  do  tO'  help  ?  are 
good  questions  to  raise.  Have  some  plan  of  work 
to  propose;  the  plan  should  not  be  a  predetermined 
one,  at  least  in  its  form  of  presentation.  Let  the 
children  cooperate  in  deciding  what  and  how  to  do. 
If  their  interest  has  been  awakened,  they  will  be 
generally  eager  to  accept  a  plan.  To  create  an 
enthusiasm  is  the  teacher's  part. 

A  glance  at  the  list  of  stories  under  the  title 
"  Christian  Apostles  and  Missionaries,"  in  the  Junior 
Bible,  Part  IV,  of  "  the  Completely  Graded  Series  " 
of  Sunday  School  lessons,  will  show  the  emphasis 
placed  on  missionary  training  in  that  plan. 

"  A  Hero  of  Macedonia,"  in  "  Here  and  There 
Stories'*  (published  by  Woman's  Board  of  Mis- 
sions, Congregational  House,  Boston),  brings  the 


In  the  Church  School  6i 

thought  down  to  the  boy  life  of  to-day.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  sample  of  how  stories  may  be  developed 
from  the  good  material  offered  by  the  American 
Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society,  Boston,  the  Amer- 
ican Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  New  York  City, 
and  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society.  (See 
also  page  70.) 

The  Story  of  White  Arm  ^ 

Is  not  "White  Arm"  a  funny  name  for  a  person?  He 
was  an  Indian,  and  I  wonder  why  they  called  him  by  that 
name.  Perhaps  you  can  guess  when  you  have  heard  about 
him.  Out  in  southern  Montana  there  is  a  tribe  of  Indians 
called  the  Crows,  and  White  Arm  belonged  to  this  tribe. 
One  day  a  missionary,  who  had  been  sent  by  the  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society  to  help  these  people,  came  to  Lodge 
Grass,  where  White  Arm  lived.  The  missionary  carried 
a  typewriter  with  him,  and  when  the  Indian  saw  it  he 
thought  the  machine  was  wonderful.  He  looked  too  at 
"  the  Great  White "  from  New  York,  and  the  more  he 
looked  the  more  he  loved  this  man.  White  Arm  and 
some  of  the  other  Indians  wished  their  children  to  be 
taught  in  school  and  church,  so  the  Mission  Society  de- 
cided to  help  them,  and  sent  another  missionary,  Mr.  Pet- 
zoldt,  to  live  and  work  there. 

The  first  thing  to  do  was  to  find  a  good  place  for  a 
mission  building,  and  to  have  it  roofed  over  before  the 
winter's  snow  came.  Mr.  Petzoldt  found  all  the  best 
land  had  been  taken.  White  Arm  saw  he  was  troubled, 
and  said:  "My  land  is  just  what  you  want;  take  it, 
and  give  me  some  elsewhere."  The  missionary  wrote 
to   the  old  home   friends:   "This  land  is  just  right,   the 

5  Adapted  from  leaflet  entitled  "  The  Transformation  of  White 
Arm."     The  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society. 


62  Graded  Missionary  Education 

trees  and  the  river  near-by  and  the  pine-clad  hills  in  the 
background  make  it  beautiful.  Stone  and  sand  for  the 
building  are  here,  and  we  are  all  working  hard." 

At  the  time  the  first  missionary,  Doctor  Chivers,  came 
with  his  typewriter.  White  Arm  was  living  in  a  house. 
But  now  he  left  this  comfortable  log  house  and  went  back 
to  a  tent  such  as  the  tribe  had  always  used.  Do  you  think 
White  Arm  liked  the  tent  better?  Listen!  A  little  while 
after  Mr.  Petzoldt  came,  Mrs.  Petzoldt  and  their  chil- 
dren followed.  They  arrived  before  it  was  possible  to 
get  a  house  ready  for  them.  White  Arm  knew  there  was 
no  place  for  the  family,  so  he  moved  out  of  his  cabin 
home  into  the  tent,  and  said :  "  You  take  my  house ;  you 
shall  have  the  best  I  can  give." 

How  he  helped  to  get  the  logs  for  the  mission  chapel 
and  the  missionary's  home  is  told  in  his  letter  to  Doctor 
Chivers. 

Camp  Chivers,  Wolf  Mountain,  Montana. 

Doctor  Chivers: 

Dear  Friend  :  I  am  helping  Mr.  Petzoldt  all  I  can ;  I  am 
working  more  than  the  other  Indians  to  get  the  school 
finish.  I  am  no  more  a  Crow  Indian.  I  am  A  White  Man 
now. 

You  know  my  house  and  my  farm,  and  where  it  is.  I 
would  like  very  much  to  see  where  you  live,  but  I  have 
no  means  to  go.  We  call  this  little  camp  under  your 
name  and  honor.  I  am  going  to  stop  the  Indian  way  of 
living  and  live  like  a  white  man. 

Mr.  Petzoldt  was  looking  for  a  place  for  the  school ;  he 
seen  me  about  it,  and  I  was  very  glad  to  give  him  a  piece 
of  my  land.  The  land  I  got  new  cost  me  a  good  deal. 
I  put  up  a  tent  for  myself,  and  let  Mr.  Petzoldt  stay  in 
my  house;  I  lend  him  my  team  when  he  needs  it.  I  am 
treating  him  as  well  as  I  can.  I  am  helping  you  to  get 
the  buildings.    I  wish  you  would  help  me  in  something  some 


In  the  Church  School  63 

time,  when  I  ask  you.    We  have  already  cut  one  hundred 

and  fifty  logs;  it  is  hard  work. 

I  bid  you  good-bye,  Your  friend,  .,,  . 

-'      ^          -^  '  White  Arm. 

For  some  time  the  Crow  chief  did  not  tell  any  one  he 
would  be  a  Christian,  but  there  came  a  day  when  he  took 
a  journey  with  the  missionary  to  St.  Louis,  where  was 
held  a  large  missionary  meeting.  He  had  talked  with  his 
friends  about  the  "Jesus  road"  (as  he  called  it),  and 
at  this  meeting  he  heard  a  white  man  speak,  whose  face, 
he  said,  made  him  decide  to  be  a  "Jesus  man."  Having 
decided,  he  wanted  to  tell  the  good  news  to  every  one. 
That  very  day  he  sent  word  to  his  wife,  "Pretty  Shell," 
telling  her,  and  asking  her  to  walk  with  him  on  the  Jesus 
road.  In  the  meeting  the  great  red  man  stood  up  beside  the 
white  missionary,  who  interpreted  what  he  said,  and  this 
is  what  he  told  the  people: 

"The  Great  Father  knows  White  Arm— knows  he's 
bad — send  missionary  to  make  him  good.  Now  White 
Arm  knows  the  Great  Father,  because  missionary  tells  him 
of  Jesus.  Jesus  loves  White  Arm,  and  White  Arm  loves 
him.  The  Great  Father  wants  White  Arm  to  walk  in 
the  Jesus  road;  Jesus  road  a  straight  road,  all  straight; 
White  Arm  walk  in  it,  walk  straight.  Tell  the  people  this. 
That's  all." 

When  White  Arm  went  home  he  learned  more  and 
more  of  what  it  means  to  be  a  Christian.  He  and  Pretty 
Shell  were  baptized,  and  did  much  to  lead  others  to  the 
First  Crow  Indian  Baptist  Church  of  Lodge  Grass,  that 
they  too  might  learn  to  walk  the  Jesus  road. 

Never  before  has  there  been  such  a  possibility  of 
j]^etting  good  missionary  material  for  use  with  chil- 
dren. For  reading  by  boys  and  girls  of  ten  to 
twelve    years,    nothing    surpasses     the    magazine 


64  Graded  Missionary  Education 

''  Everyland."  "  The  Finding  Out  Club  "  and  the 
letters  from  Aunt  Helen  alone  would  be  worth 
while. 

In  developing  missionary  lessons,  imaginary  jour- 
neys with  a  real  geographic  background  may  be 
taken.  The  pupils  can  make  outline  maps,  or  use 
these  to  mark  the  journey  of  a  missionary,  or  to 
put  in  certain  mission  stations  in  a  country  in  which 
they  are  interested.  To  give  information  about  a 
few  of  these  will  be  better  than  to  inform  about 
many.  If  a  missionary  with  whom  a  class  is  ac- 
quainted is  in  Canton,  the  question  may  be  raised, 
How  can  we  go  to  him?  and  the  route  be  traced 
with  the  help  of  a  good  geography  and  railroad 
folders.  There  are  many  devices  for  work  of  this 
kind.  The  sand-tray  is  better  used  at  this  age  than 
with  younger  children  in  Sunday  School.  But — 
geography  is  not  to  be  the  absorbing  interest.  Time 
valuable  for  other  things  is  often  devoted  to  this. 
A  blackboard  is  a  quicker  medium  for  conveying 
an  idea,  and  in  relation  to  the  present  subject  is 
better  than  sand.  Curios  and  the  constructive  work 
of  children,  showing  the  customs  and  social  life  of 
the  people,  will  often  shed  light  on  their  ways  and 
needs.  But  objects  are  only  tools  to  lead  to  a  bet- 
ter understanding  for  the  sake  of  missionary  in- 
terest and  service.  Do  not  forget  the  purpose  in 
the  use  of  material  and  that  time  is  limited. 

It  is  worth  while  to  use  "  the  collecting  interest," 
and  to  get  pupils  to  assist  in  gathering  together 


In  the  Church  School  65 

things  representative  of  the  different  countries,  and 
to  classify  pictures  and  keep  them  in  scrap-books 
or  envelopes.^ 

Impersonation  is  a  great  interest  at  this  age.  To 
''  be  it "  always  pleases.  Sometimes  the  children 
may  take  different  characters  by  simply  acting  out 
parts  of  a  story.  At  a  week-day  missionary  meet- 
ing or  special  gathering,  they  may  be  costumed  to 
represent  the  people  of  whom  they  have  studied. 

Discrimination  is  needed  in  the  use  of  printed 
missionary  programs ;  some  are  good,  some  are  un- 
desirable. The  program  sometimes  should  be  one 
to  aid  the  study  of  a  life,  or  to  throw  light  on  a  par- 
ticular work  that  is  being  helped;  sometimes  one 
just  to  cultivate  a  missionary  spirit.  The  latter 
seems  the  more  uncommon,  and  so  typical  sugges- 
tions for  this  are  given  here : 

Program  for  Department  Missionary  Service 

Children  nine  to  twelve  years 
One  class  or  group  sings: 

We've  a  story  to  tell  to  the  nations, 
That  shall  turn  their  hearts  to  the  right; 
A  story  of  truth  and  sweetness, 
A  stoty  of  peace  and  light. 

«  Of  course,  if  there  is  no  Mission  Band  or  Junior  Baptist  Young 
People's  Union  or  Junior  Christian  Endeavor,  more  time  will  be 
needed  than  the  one  hour  on  Sunday  to  train  a  Sunday  School  class 
in  Christian  service.  Aside  from  the  question  as  to  the  wisdom  ot 
separate  organizations,  no  Sunday  School  teacher  can  do  a  success- 
ful work  if  he  does  not  meet  his  class  sometimes  on  a  week-day.  1  he 
plans  suggested  here  will  be  impossible  of  fulfilment  in  only  the 
Sunday  session. 


66  Graded  Missionary  Education 

REFRAIN 

For  the  darkness  shall  turn  to  dawning, 
And  the  dawning  to  noonday  bright, 
And  Christ's  great  Kingdom  shall  come  to  earth, 
The  Kingdom  of  love  and  light. 

A  class  recites: 

"  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  ,  .  and  let  him  return 
unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him :  and  to 
our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon." 

Another  group  sings: 

We've  a  song  to  be  sung  to  the  nations, 

That  shall  lift  their  hearts  to  the  Lord; 

A  song  that  shall  conquer  evil 

And  shatter  the  spear  and  sword. 

^„    .  (Refrain  as  above.) 

All  Sing: 

It  came  upon  the  midnight  clear. 

That  glorious  song  of  old.     (One  verse.) 

One  class  recites: 
"  For  God  so  loved  the  world,"  etc.  (John  3  :  16.) 

A  group  sings: 

We've  a  message  to  give  to  the  nations, 
That  the  Lord  who  reigneth  above. 
Hath  sent  us  his  Son  to  save  us. 
And  show  us  that  God  is  love. 

Leader: 

How  shall  we  tell  the  story? 

Different  members   of   the   department   recite   as 
follows: 
"  Be  ye  kind  one  to  another." 


In  the  Church  School  67 

"Let  us  not  love  in  word,  neither  with  the  tongue; 
but  in  deed  and  truth." 

"  If  a  man  say  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother, 
he  is  a  liar." 

"  Do  good,  hoping  for  nothing  again." 

"He  that  sheweth  mercy,  let  him  do  it  with  cheerful- 
ness." 

"  Give  to  him  that  needeth." 

Story  told  by  a  teacher: 

In  the  Golden  Book^ 

Within  the  courts  of  Paradise,  at  the  gate  of  the  palace 
of  the  King,  stood  a  child,  watching  the  faces  of  those 
who  passed  in. 

"May  I  go  in  too?"  she  asked  of  the  angel  who  kept 
watch  at  the  gate. 

"  I  do  not  know,  dear  child,"  said  the  angel ;  "  our 
Great  King  is  giving  audience  to-day  to  those  whose 
names  are  written  in  the  Golden  Book  of  Remembrance." 

"But  whose  names  are  written  in  the  book?"  asked  the 
child. 

"  They  are  those  whose  good  deeds  the  King  likes  best 
to  remember,"  the  angel  said ;  "  shall  we  see  if  your  name 
is  there?" 

"  Please  do !  "  exclaimed  the  child ;  "  and  oh !  I  do  hope 
it  will  be  there.  I  have  done  so  many  kind  and  good 
things  in  my  life.  My  teachers  all  praised  me,  and  said 
I  was  the  best  girl  in  my  class." 

Then  the  angel  opened  the  great  Golden  Book  of 
Remembrance  and  searched  it  carefully.  "Dear  child," 
he  said,  "there  is  nothing  of  all  that  in  the  book." 

"Well,"  said  the  child,  somewhat  crestfallen,  "please 
look  into  the  book  again.  I  once  gave  half  the  money 
from  my  savings-bank  to  a  missionary,  for  him  to  teach 

'Adapted  from  "  Everyland,"  December,  1913. 


68  Graded  Missionary  Education 

a  little  Negro  boy — none  of  the  other  children  gave  so 
much." 

Again  the  angel  turned  over  the  pages  of  the  great 
Golden  Book.  "  No,"  he  said,  "  there  is  nothing  about  that 
here." 

Then  the  child  began  to  be  afraid,  but  she  tried  hard 
to  think,  and  she  said :  "  Do  3'ou  know,  at  Christmas- 
time I  used  to  give  half  of  my  playthings  to  the  poor  chil- 
dren?    Surely  that  must  be  in  the  book." 

Once  more  the  angel  sought  in  the  Golden  Book,  and 
once  more  he  shook  his  head.    "  It  is  not  written  here." 

Then  the  child's  face  fell,  and  the  tears  came  into  her 
eyes.  "  I  can  remember  nothing  more,"  she  said.  "  I  am 
so  sorry.  Oh,  how  I  wish  that  I  could  have  done  some- 
thing to  make  the  King  glad." 

But  the  beautiful  angel  looked  lovingly  down  and  said : 
"  My  little  one,  every  deed  of  kindness  gladdens  the 
heart  of  our  King.  But  in  the  Golden  Book  are  written 
the  deeds  that  are  done  with  no  thought  of  praise,  but 
just  for  love's  sake;  and  it  is  written  in  the  book  that 
once  a  little  girl  found  a  poor,  hungry  boy  in  the  street, 
and  gave  him  the  cake  that  had  just  been  given  to  her. 
You  were  that  child." 

And  the  child  looked  up  doubtfully,  and  said:  "Oh,  I 
know  nothing  about  it.  If  it  was  really  I  who  gave  the 
cake,  I  must  have  forgotten  it." 

The  angel  smiled  sweetly,  and  said,  "The  things  we 
forget  are  often  the  things  the  King  likes  best  to  re- 
member." 

And  he  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  led  her  up  the  shining 
steps  and  into  the  throne-room  of  the  King;  and  a  voice 
in  which  was  the  music  of  all  sweet  sounds  said  to  her: 

"I  was  hungry  and  ye  gave  me  to  eat;  .  .  .  Inasmuch 
as  ye  did  it  unto  one  of  these  my  brethren,  even  these 
least,  ye  did  it  unto  me.  Dear  child,  I  thank  j'-ou  for 
your  gift." 


In  the  Church  School  69 

Prayer: 

Our  Father,  help  us  when  we  work  and  when  we  give  to 
do  both  as  Jesus  would.* 

Another  good  plan  would  be  to  have  simply  a 
story-hour,  using  the  above  story,  and  that  of 
"  White  Arm,"  or  of  ''  The  Hero  of  Macedonia  " 
(see  page  60),  ending  perhaps  with  a  letter  from 
some  missionary  needing  help  in  a  particular  work. 

If  a  number  of  different  nationalities  are  repre- 
sented in  a  school  in  this  country,  a  good  mission- 
ary flag-day  exercise  is  that  in  which  each  represen- 
tative carries  the  flag  of  his  own  country,  and  all 
gather  around  the  American  flag,  while  one  child 
brings  forward  a  banner  bearing  the  words,  "  One 
is  your  Father,  all  ye  are  brethren,"  and  a  hymn 
is  sung,  such  as  "  Brightly  gleams  our  banner " 
(see  tune  under  Children's  Services,  "  New  Bap- 
tist Praise  Book,"  published  by  the  American  Bap- 
tist Publication  Society,  Philadelphia). 

If  there  are  no  foreign  children  in  the  school, 
the  same  idea  may  be  carried  out,  especially  in  re- 
gard to  "  mission  countries,"  by  the  pupils  wear- 
ing the  costumes  and  carrying  flags  of  the  dififerent 
nations. 

This  is  the  time  for  memorizing  hymns,  and  those 
of  a  missionary  character  should  have  their  place. 
Hand-work  may  assist  in  the  memorizing  and  add 

^  The  good  of  this  program  will  be  largely  dependent  on  the  smooth- 
ness with  which  one  part  is  connected  with  another;  there  should  be 
no  break  nor  calling  for  any  song  or  recitation. 


yo  Graded  Missionary  Education 

interest.  The  illuminating  of  hymns  in  effective 
coloring  is  an  attractive  occupation.  The  following 
are  good  hymns  for  this  age :  **  From  all  that  dwell 
below  the  skies,"  "  From  Greenland's  icy  moun- 
tains/' "  God  bless  the  land  our  Fathers  loved," 
"  The  whole  wide  world  for  Jesus." 

Instruction  should  be  given  in  regard  to  some 
of  the  missionary  Societies  of  the  denomination  to 
which  the  local  church  belongs.  Little  by  little  the 
Sunday  School  pupils  should  become  familiar  with 
the  organizations  in  which,  as  church-members,  they 
ought  to  take  an  active  share.  Knowledge  of  at 
least  two  Societies,  one  foreign  and  one  home,  should 
be  given  in  connection  with  the  subjects  studied  and 
the  work  done.  Information  about  these  needs  to 
be  given  in  a  bright,  wide-awake  story  form;  often 
the  children  may  learn  of  the  Societies  by  way  of  a 
kind  of  work  that  is  of  most  interest  to  them.  For 
instance,  boys  and  girls  of  this  age  enjoy  stories  of 
journeys  on  land  and  water.  The  American  Bap- 
tist Publication  Society  sends  out  seven  chapel  cars 
to  pioneer  districts  where  there  are  no  churches  nor 
Sunday  Schools.  Gospel  cruisers  are  also  used  to 
reach  people  who  need  helping.  With  the  aid  of 
pictures  (which  may  be  secured  from  the  Society, 
together  with  leaflets  that  will  inform  teachers)  in- 
teresting accounts  may  be  given.  One  of  these 
leaflets  tells  of  the  Life-Line,  a  boat  that  has 
gone  up  and  down  the  rivers  of  Oregon  among 
tbe  logging-camps,  carrying  a  missionary  who  helps 


In  the  Church  School  yi 

to  save  people  from  wrong-doing  by  telling  them  of 
Jesus  and  how  to  follow  him. 

Letters  are  a  means  of  vital  connection,  and 
should  be  planned  for  between  the  missionaries  and 
the  children,  especially  when  the  latter  make  a  gift 
to  a  particular  work.  The  missionary  boards  dis- 
courage gifts  being  made  for  individuals  because 
"  a  child  grows  up  or  an  individual  dies,"  and 
the  individualizing  process  makes  more  work  for 
the  Societies,  so  they  urge  that  "  a  gift  be  localized, 
but  not  personalized."  These  reasons  can  be  readily 
appreciated,  but  if  a  local  work,  such  as  a  school  in 
India,  or  a  hospital  in  China,  is  aided,  there  should 
be  some  personal  touch  for  the  children's  good,  and 
ultimately  for  the  good  of  the  cause.  One  of  the 
boards  has  issued  a  general  letter  to  children  from 
a  woman  missionary,  telling  about  Chinese  children 
as  she  knows  them.  It  is  so  full  of  life  that  "  just 
to  read  it  makes  you  want  to  help."  Other  mis- 
sionaries who  know  how  to  write  to  children  might 
be  persuaded  to  do  this.  If  a  letter  is  used,  it 
should  be  read.  A  story  is  better  told  usually,  but 
if  not  read,  a  letter  loses  its  individuality — it  be- 
comes a  story.  It  may  need  to  be  simplified  and 
abbreviated.  Letters  such  as  the  following  make 
children  eager  to  work  for  others : 

I  am  wondering  if  some  American  boys  and  girls  would 
not  like  to  send  a  letter  or  a  picture  post-card  to  Wesley? 
I  know  he  would  enjoy  it.  Perhaps  he  would  like  to 
write  a  letter  to  an  American  boy.    Then  there  are  many 


"^2  Graded  Missionary  Education 

other  fine  boys  in  this  school  who  could  share  the  letters 
if  there  were  too  many  for  Wesley. 

How  I  wish  you  could  all  see  these  children  in  our  mis- 
sion schools  in  China.    I  know  you  would  love  them. 

Your  loving, 

Aunt  Helen.® 

Will  you  not  sometimes  write  post-cards  to  my  dear 
little  gipsies?  They  will  be  so  delighted  with  them.  And 
you  must  not  be  angry  with  me  if  I  answer  you  only  in 
**  Everyland."  Your  letter  or  cards  I  will  translate  into 
the  gipsy  language,  so  the  boys  and  girls  will  be  able  to 
read  them.  You  see  I  am  very  busy  all  day  long,  and 
would  not  have  time  to  translate  letters  to  you  from 
my  gipsy  children.  It  also  costs  lots  of  money  to  send 
letters  into  foreign  countries,  and  our  gipsies  are  very, 
very  poor/" 

Will  you  thank  the  children  who  made  the  scrap-books 
which  Mrs.  Peabody  left  with  me  a  little  time  ago?  They 
were  very  attractive,  and  have  been  left  in  a  home  in  the 
South  End,  where  they  are  fully  appreciated. 

The  children  may  be  interested  to  learn  that  some  of 
the  two  dollars  they  sent  was  spent  for  a  little  group 
of  South  End  children,  whose  mother  was  suddenly  taken 
ill  and  carried  away  to  the  hospital.  I  found  the  kitchen 
floor,  the  dishes,  and  the  beds  so  dirty  that  Johnnie  and  I 
went  to  a  five-and-ten-cent  store  and  bought :  One  dust- 
pan, ten  cents;  one  coal-shovel,  five  cents;  one  soap- 
cup  for  kitchen  well,  five  cents ;  one  wash-basin,  ten  cents ; 
one  candlestick,  ten  cents.  Then  we  sent  out  for  a  quart 
of  milk,  nine  cents ;  one-half  dozen  rolls,  five  cents ; 
twelve  cents'  worth  of  butter;  and  twelve  cents'  worth  of 
eggs.     With  these  we  helped  Marie  make  a  royal  bread- 

»  Extract  of  letter  printed  in  "  Everyland." 
"  Extract  of  Miss  Plingner's  letter  in  "  Everyland." 


In  the  Church  School  73 

pudding,  which  we  learned  to-day  that  the  children  ate 
before  their  father  returned  in  time  to  have  some  for 
his  supper. 

To-day  in  the  closet  we  found  some  split  pease,  so  we 
decided  to  make  split-pea  soup.  We  sent  and  purchased 
(with  your  money  still)  one  quart  of  milk,  two  onions  at 
one  cent  each,  three  cents'  worth  of  fat  pork,  and  two  cents' 
worth  of  cabbage.  When  I  left  the  house  the  soup  was 
boiling  for  supper,  much  to  the  delight  of  the  children." 

The  activities  in  which  children  of  this  age  may 
be  employed  are  many;  the  danger  is  in  having 
too  many.  In  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  it  was 
said  that  the  field  is  large  from  which  to  draw  for 
both  instruction  and  service.  Selection  is  a  neces- 
sity. Two  lists  of  suitable  interests  and  activities 
are  given  below,  with  the  thought  that  some  of  these 
may  be  suited  to  every  individual  group. 

Work  Done  in  One  Year  by  a  Junior  Class 
of  Seven  Members : 

Six  plants  given  to  shut-ins. 

Fruit  given  to  two  shut-ins. 

Bouquet  of  roses  sent  to  sick  schoolmate. 

Visit  made  to  German  Evangelical  Home  and 
seventy-five  Christmas  papers  left. 

Visit  made  to  Home  for  Old  People  and 
two  himdred  and  fifty  papers  left. 

Donation  taken  to  an  Industrial  School: 
twenty-five  pads  of  writing-paper,  one  box  of 

"Adaptation  of  letter  sent  to  The  Disciples'  School,  Boston. 
F 


74  Graded  Missionary  Education 

pencils,  one  box  of  pen  points,  two  drawing- 
tablets,  and  ten  blotters. 

Visit  made  to  children's  ward  of  hospital,  and 
two  hundred  and  fifty  pretty  cards  with  Scrip- 
ture verses,  three  scrap-books,  and  flowers  left 
there. 

One  dollar  given  toward  the  support  of  a 
native  missionary  in  India. 

Five  dollars  sent  to  China  to  buy  Bibles  for 
forty  junior  girls  in  a  mission  school. 

Social  and  Benevolent  Activities  of  One  Junior 
Department 

A  Journey  to  Many  Countries: 

1.  Each  child  was  given  a  slip  of  paper  on 
which  was  a  number.  When  the  bell  rang 
all  were  to  go  down-stairs,  and  each  was  to  find 
a  table  bearing  the  same  number  as  his  slip. 
On  the  table  were  many  curios  from  one  foreign 
country;  then  one  of  the  older  boys  or  girls 
told  what  these  were,  and  all  he  or  she  knew 
about  the  customs  of  that  country. 

2.  The  bell  rang,  and  each  group  changed  to 
the  next  table.    So  the  game  progressed. 

A  Journey  to  Japan: 

I.  One  boy  brought  a  stereoscope.  Through 
seeing  pictures,  the  children  went  in  imagina- 
tion to  Japan. 


In  the  Church  School  75 

2.  Arrived  there,  they  played  Japanese 
games. 

3.  They  heard  a  Japanese  story. 

An  African  Night: 

Just  before  preparations  for  the  Livingstone 
Centennial  all  were  imaginary  Africans;  used 
the  African  village  curio-box ;  had  the  story  of 
Catla  and  Ara,  and  played  African  games. 

Other  Activities: 

1.  A  set  of  illustrated  hymns  and  Scripture 
verses  made  for  a  missionary  to  take  away 
with  her  at  her  request. 

2.  A  happy  day  spent  in  gathering  violets, 
making  them  into  bunches,  and  taking  to  the 
sick. 

3.  A  special  offering  made  for  Easter  flow- 
ers ;  these  were  taken  to  the  children's  hospital. 
One  year  the  juniors  found  children  asleep,  and 
were  delighted  to  put  flowers  down  beside  them 
and  slip  away. 

4.  Christmas  parties;  much  of  the  interest 
in  doing  for  others  grows  out  of  these : 

A  Christmas-tree  arranged  for  *'  Sunshine 
Home  for  Children  '*• — an  institution  in  the  com- 
munity.   Matron  of  home  cooperated,  and  had 


76  Graded  Missionary  Education 

children  send  letters  to  Santa  Claus.  Juniors 
had  much  fun  in  opening  these  letters  and  in 
trying  to  provide  what  was  asked  for. 

Decorations  for  tree  were  brought  from  sup- 
ply for  their  own.  Juniors  decorated  the  tree 
themselves;  wrapped  and  marked  packages. 
The  party  was  given  in  the  basement  of  the 
church — juniors  and  ''Sunshine"  children  to- 
gether.   Each  group  sang  their  songs. 

5.  Fourth-year  girls  banded  together  to  do 
good. 

Collected  magazines  for  hospital. 

Collected  magazines  for  Alaska  fishermen. 

Collected  post-cards  for  missionary  in  China. 

Dressed  two  dolls  for  lady  going  out  from 
their  own  church  as  missionary. 

It  is  well  to  have  some  school  interest  and  some 
class  interests.  A  spirit  of  cooperation  and  not  of 
competition  should  be  cultivated.  In  making  gifts 
of  money  the  children  should  have  a  voice;  if  the 
school  decides  to  help  a  certain  cause,  a  class  may 
decide  on  the  amount  of  its  contribution.  When  a 
class  works  by  itself,  two  equally  good  objects 
sometimes  may  be  presented,  and  a  vote  taken  as  to 
the  use  of  the  class  money.  In  any  case  there 
should  be  intelligent  cooperation.  The  definition  of 
a  Sunday  School  given  by  one  of  Judge  Lindsay's 
street  urchins  needs  to  be  remembered :  "  It's  a 


In  the  Church  School  77 

place  where  they  takes  y'er  penny,  and  gives  y'er 
nothing  for  it." 

Additional  Books  for  Teachers  and  Pupils 

There  are  so  many  books  of  travel  and  story  for 
children  of  this  age  that  the  attempt  to  discriminate 
here  will  not  be  made.  The  teacher  is  referred  to 
"  One  Hundred  Most  Popular  Missionary  Books  " 
for  selection. 

"Our  World  Family/'  "Fifty  Missionary  Sto- 
ries" (Brain),  and  "  Fifty  Missionary  Heroes  Every 
Boy  and  Girl  Should  Know"  (Johnston),  will  be 
suggestive  to  the  teacher.  "  Handwork  in  Relig- 
ious Education,"  by  Wardle,  contains  some  excel- 
lent missionary  illustrative  material. 


V 


MISSIONARY  SERVICE  AND  INSTRUCTION 

FOR  BOYS  AND  GIRLS  OF  TWELVE 

TO  SIXTEEN  YEARS 


The  Opportunity 

"  Yes,  God  helping  me,  I  will  " — that  was  the 
inner  response  of  James  Chalmers,  the  missionary 
hero  to  New  Guinea,  when  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
he  heard  in  Sunday  School  a  letter  read  from 
the  missionary  field  and  the  superintendent  say, 
"  I  wonder  if  there  is  a  boy  here  who  will  be- 
come a  missionary,  and  by  and  by  bring  the  gospel 
to  the  cannibals."  It  was  the  first  step  of  which 
no  one  but  James  himself  knew.  This  is  the  time 
of  "first  steps."  During  this  period  of  the  form- 
ing of  ideals  and  of  the  seeing  of  visions,  the  be- 
ginning of  a  life-choice  is  often  made.  The  par- 
ticular life-work  in  many  instances  proves  to  be 
diflFerent  from  that  thought  of  at  fourteen,  fifteen, 
sixteen;  but  the  ideal  remains,  and  the  type  of  en- 
deavor is  often  the  same. 

At  this  time  the  opportunity  for  guidance  is  large ; 
so  also  is  the  need  for  tactfulness.  Life  past  and 
present  is  absorbing.     For  biography  and  history, 

78 


In  the  Church  School  79 

of  the  right  kind,  there  is  a  keen  interest.  Reading 
does  more  than  any  one  thing  to  form  ideals  high 
or  low.  Ideas  may  lead  to  ideals.  Thought  gov- 
erns action  more  than  ever  before.  With  the 
growth  of  social  interest  and  altruistic  feelings 
should  come  definite  lines  of  service.  To  give  senti- 
ment full  play,  while  saving  it  from  degenerating 
into  sentimentality,  will  be  one  means  of  leading  to 
true  altruism  and  self-sacrifice.  To  stir  the  emo- 
tions without  supplying  an  outlet  in  action  will  do 
more  harm  than  good.  To  make  missionary  plans 
and  carry  them  out  successfully  requires  a  careful 
study  of  boy  and  girl  life  at  this  period  of  develop- 
ment ;  a  study  of  group  tendencies  manifest  in  "  the 
bunch,"  "  the  gang,"  and  *'  our  crowd " ;  a  study 
of  individual  tendencies,  e.  g.,  the  ambitions,  the 
often  intense  eagerness,  restlessness,  secretiveness, 
romantic  fire  of  youth,  with  the  similarities  and 
dissimilarities  of  the  sexes.  These  studies  may  be 
made  through  observations  of  young  people  at  home, 
at  school,  on  the  street,  and  the  playground.  But 
the  noting  of  one  character,  or  of  many  groups,  must 
not  lead  to  decisive  conclusions.  The  testing  of 
these  by  reading  the  conclusions  reached  by  students 
of  hundreds  and  thousands  of  children  will  be  valu- 
able. The  books  most  helpful  to  the  Sunday  School 
teacher  for  this  purpose  will  be  listed  at  the  end  of 
this  chapter. 

The  character  of  the  Boy  Scout  movement  and 
of  the  Camp  Fire  Girls  shows  a  recognition  of  boy 


8o  Graded  Missionary  Education 

and  girl  nature,  made  evident  by  the  response  these 
organizations  have  received.  They  should  be  af- 
filiated with  the  church  and  not  separated  from  it; 
they  may  serve  for  the  "  club  "  organizations  of 
Sunday  School  classes,  to  which  other  distinctively 
church  interests  may  be  added.  When  in  four 
years  three  hundred  thousand  boys  enlist  in  a  move- 
ment, and  in  one  year  seventy  thousand  groups  of 
girls  are  organized,  it  behooves  those  who  are  work- 
ing with  young  people  to  find  out  the  reason  why. 
We  find  provision  made  for  activities,  realistic,  use- 
ful, and  exciting,  for  the  heroic  and  adventurous 
undertaking,  for  the  romantic  element,  and  for  pro- 
gressive attainment  of  honors  through  definite  ac- 
complishment. In  these  organizations  emphasis  is 
placed  on  trustworthiness,  loyalty,  helpfulness,  and 
courtesy,  and  they  carry  on,  in  ways  suited  to  the 
age,  the  good  elements  of  knighthood  suggested  in 
the  preceding  chapter  for  training  in  social  service. 
The  same  is  true  of  "  The  Knights  of  King 
Arthur  "  and  similar  agencies,  the  spirit  of  which 
needs  to  be  cultivated  in  the  Sunday  School.  The 
group,  as  a  group,  should  be  led  to  live  out  in 
their  daily  life  something  of  the  ideal  that  is  set  be- 
fore them.  Plans  need  to  be  made  for  this,  e.  g., 
something  may  be  read  or  described  that  will  in- 
spire, and  then,  at  the  right  moment,  the  proposition 
may  follow,  "  Can't  we  do  something  like  that  ?  " 
Those  teachers  who  have  read  Zona  Gale's  "  When 
I  Was  a  Little  Girl,"  may  remember  the  closing 


In  the  Church  School  8l 

scene,  which  seems  to  depict  the  feelings  and  ex- 
pressions of  girls  of  eleven  to  thirteen  years;  they 
had  had  a  play  of  "  Court  Ladies "  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  the  knights,  and  at  the  end  one  says: 

"Why  couldn't  we  get  a  quest?  Then  it  wouldn't  have 
to  stop.    It'd  last  every  day." 

"Girls  can't  quest,  can  they?"  Betty  suggested  doubt- 
fully. Delia  was  a  free  soul.  Forthwith  she  made  a 
precedent. 

"Well,"  she  said,  "I  don't  know  whether  they  did 
quest.    But  they  can  quest.    So  let's  do  it." 

The  reason  in  this  appealed  to  us  all.  Immediately  we 
confronted  the  problem:  What  should  we  quest  for?  We 
started  off  over  the  valley  through  which  the  little  river 
ran  shining  and  slipped  beyond  our  horizon. 

"  I  wonder,"  said  Mary  Elizabeth,  "  if  it  would  be  wrong 
to  quest  for  the  Holy  Grail  now?" 

We  stood  there  against  the  west,  where  bright  doors 
seemed  opening  in  the  pouring  gold  of  the  sun,  thick  with 
shining  dust.  The  glory  seemed  very  near.  Why  not  do 
something  beautiful?     Why  not — why  not?  .  .  . 

Might  not  such  a  spirit  be  the  beginning  of  mis- 
sionary consecration  ? 


The  Plan 

One  part  of  the  plan,  therefore,  for  training  boys 
and  girls  of  twelve  to  sixteen  years  will  be  to  guide 
their  ideals.    How  shall  this  be  done? 

I.  By  including  a  study  of  great  missionary 
characters  in  Sunday  School  teaching. 


S2  Graded  Missionary  Education 

2.  By  putting  into  the  hands  of  pupils  books 
that  will  attract;  if  the  books  are  of  a  direct 
missionary  type,  they  must  be  of  a  kind  inter- 
esting to  them. 

3.  By  giving  opportunity  for  the  expression 
of  the  pupils'  ideals,  at  least  to  some  degree. 

Another  part  of  the  plan  must  be  to  direct  the 
emotions  and  the  energies  of  these  young  people — 
How? 

1.  By  acquainting  them  with  the  needs  of 
the  immediate  community  (including  the  local 
church)  and  of  those  farther  away,  beginning  a 
world  interest. 

2.  By  providing  ways  through  which  they 
may  help  to  relieve  these  needs. 

3.  By  leading,  not  controlling  them,  in  plans 
for  doing  good. 

In  the  detailed  development  of  such  a  plan  that 
should  cover  three  or  four  years'  instruction  and 
service  in  this  "  Intermediate  "  or  "  Senior  Gram- 
mar Grade,"  the  leader,  be  he  superintendent  or 
teacher,  will  have  to  exercise  great  care.  For  the 
best  success  the  two  should  cooperate  in  making  the 
plan,  outlining  what  should  be  done  each  year,  and 
leaving  details  to  be  filled  in  by  the  class's  own 
decisions. 

It  is  well  to  know  what  has  been  done  in  the  lower 
department  so  that  there  shall  be  a  wise  continuance 


In  the  Church  School  83 

of  training,  and  when  a  class  passes  from  one 
teacher  to  another,  a  written  outHne  should  also  be 
passed  on,  showing  the  plan  and  the  part  that  has 
been  carried  out.  It  is  important  also  to  remember 
that  in  the  last  two  years  of  this  Sunday  School 
period  most  of  the  pupils  are  in  high  school,  and 
that  fact  gives  them  a  wider  outlook  on  the  world 
at  large.  Their  historical  and  literature  studies 
should  be  taken  into  account.  What  an  interesting 
thing  it  would  be  if,  when  they  are  studying  ancient 
history,  their  Bible  lessons  should  correspond,  and 
their  foreign  mission  study  and  efifort  have  a  similar 
connection.  The  Bible  would  become  more  real,  the 
life  of  the  past  and  the  present  be  connected,  and 
the  need  of  Christianity  be  more  emphasized.  For 
instance,  Roman  history,  the  life  of  Paul,  and  mis- 
sions in  Macedonia  and  Asia  Minor  would  be  a 
good  combination. 

The  International  Graded  Sunday  School  Lessons 
provide  in  the  first  year  of  the  Intermediate  Grade 
a  study  of  the  great  religious  leaders  of  North 
American  history.  In  the  second  year  there  are 
lessons  on  the  great  characters  of  church  history, 
and  a  three-months'  study  of  Alexander  Mackay  and 
his  work  in  Uganda.  In  the  third  year  one  of 
two  alternate  courses  is  "  A  Modern  Disciple  of 
Jesus  Christ — David  Livingstone."  The  titles  of 
the  lessons  comprising  this  course  are  very  sugges- 
tive to  the  teacher  of  pupils  of  this  age,  and  should 
be  considered  in  relation  to  their  characteristics: 


84  Graded  Missionary  Education 

The  Vision  of  an  Opportunity,  A  Consecrated  De- 
termination, A  Life  Decision,  The  Stewardship  of 
Life,  The  Courage  of  Conviction,  The  Redemption 
of  a  Promise,  "  Commit  thy  Way  unto  the  Lord," 
A  Wider  Ministry,  The  Consolation  of  Christ  and 
the  Sobbing  of  a  Great  Heart,  The  Motto  of  a  Life, 
WilHng  Sacrifice  for  Enslaved  Men,  The  Influence 
of  Godly  Living,  The  Secret  Power  Revealed  at 
Death.  A  great  opportunity  is  open  through  such 
a  study  of  a  great  life. 

In  ''  The  Completely  Graded  Series  of  Sunday 
School  Lessons  "  there  is  one  course  on  "  Heroes 
of  the  Faith,"  presenting  heroes  of  biblical  times 
and  of  modern  days  whose  lives  show  the  mis- 
sionary spirit  of  self-sacrifice.  There  is  a  double 
value  in  such  a  comparative  study :  the  Bible  becomes 
a  living  book,  the  characters  It  portrays  are  real,  and 
the  ideals  found  in  them  are  found  also  in  other 
men,  so  religion  becomes  a  present-day  reality.  At 
the  time  of  either  of  these  studies,  or  in  a  similar 
connection,  it  would  be  well  to  acquaint  the  pupils 
with  a  missionary  in  whom  their  church  Is  Inter- 
ested to-day.  Also,  to  select  some  one  with  whom 
the  class  could  correspond;  who  would  write  to 
the  boys  and  girls,  describing  the  work  and  the 
place,  and  telling  of  some  definite  things  needed. 
If  a  missionary  board,  or  an  Individual  missionary, 
says,  "There  Is  no  time  for  such  writing,"  It  Is 
only  a  question  as  to  the  Importance  of  this  corre- 
spondence; it  might  be  more  fruitful  of  results  in 


In  the  Church  School  85 

the  present  and  the  future  than  the  doing  of  two 
hours'  work  a  month  on  the  field.  If  it  were 
the  means  of  making  another  missionary  or  of  the 
contribution  of  thousands  of  dollars  in  the  future, 
it  would  be  time  well  spent.  And  to  many  mis- 
sionaries the  letters  received  from  the  individual 
girl  or  boy  will  be  encouraging  enough  to  make  the 
expenditure  of  time  worth  while.  Girls  will  write 
such  letters  more  readily  than  boys,  except  when 
the  communication  is  a  business  one,  occasioned, 
for  instance,  by  the  sending  of  a  check.  This  sug- 
gests that  a  class  should  distribute  its  own  funds. 
It  is  a  great  means  of  interest  and  of  training,  and 
arrangements  for  this  responsibility  should  be  made 
except  when  the  school  unites  in  contributing  to  one 
object;  then  one  of  the  older  members  should  be 
appointed  to  act  with  the  school  treasurer,  and  the 
work  be  assigned  to  different  ones  in  turn. 

During  these  years  the  pupils  ought  to  gain  some 
thorough  knowledge  of  life  conditions  among  un- 
christianized  peoples.  At  least  two  countries  could 
be  studied  in  one  year.  Striking  contrasts  will  be 
interesting,  e.  g.,  the  savage  tribes  of  the  islands  of 
the  sea  and  the  remarkable  development  of  Japan; 
still  more  valuable  for  the  immediate  purpose  would 
be  the  contrast  of  a  people  before  and  after  Chris- 
tianity was  brought  to  them. 

A  short  time  since,  hundreds  of  boys  and  girls  of 
this  age  in  one  of  our  large  cities  were  asked  to 
write  down  their  chief  interest,  and  reading  gained 


86  Graded  Missionary  Education 

the  highest  percentage,  even  going  above  that  of 
games  and  athletics.     A  teacher's  plan  should  in- 
clude the  selection  of  some  wide-awake  missionary 
lives  and  stories,  and  the  passing  of  those  occasion- 
ally to  an  individual  pupil  with  "  Here  is  a  good 
story  that  you  will  enjoy."    To  omit  the  word  "  mis- 
sionary "  in  reference  to  a  book  or  story  is  often 
wise.     The  following  books  are  especially  good  for 
this  purpose,  and  any  one  of  them  may  serve  as  an 
introduction  to  a  definite  study  of  mission  work 
in  the  place  of  which  the  book  tells.    They  will,  of 
course,  be  reserved  for  the  most  opportune  time, 
e.  g.,  if  the  three-months'  study  provided  by  the 
International  Graded  Lessons  is  used,  that  is  the 
time  for  "  Uganda's  White  Man  of  Work.'* 
Mathews,  Basil :  ''  Livingstone  the  Pathfinder." 
Fahs,  S.  L. :  "  Uganda's  White  Man  of  Work." 
Hubbard,  Ethel:  "Under  Marching  Orders." 
Mathews,  Basil :  "  The  Splendid  Quest." 
Oxenham,  John :  "  White  Fire." 
Richards,  Laura :  "  Florence  Nightingale." 
Hull,  J.   Mervin:  "Judson  the  Pioneer." 
Inspiration  for  the  "  quest "  and  devotion  to  an 
ideal  may  be  the  fruitage  of  such  reading. 

Parallel  to  the  contact  with  great  lives  and  heroic 
spirits  must  be  an  opportunity  for  some  expression 
of  the  ideal  that  is  being  formed.  Dramatic  in- 
terest may  be  used  to  this  end.  Expression  in 
play  often  leads  to  expression  in  reality.  Great 
educational  possibilities  are   opening  through  this 


In  the  Church  School  87 

medium,  and  they  are  only  beginning  to  be  illus- 
trated in  missionary  plays.  In  the  first  years  of 
this  period  dialogues  and  tableaux  in  relation  to 
home  and  foreign  missionary  life  will  be  helpful. 
Let  us  be  sure  in  selecting  and  arranging  subject- 
matter  for  these,  that  it  be  really  strong  and  to  the 
point  in  content.  In  the  later  years  of  this  period 
the  play  that  is  full  of  vital  action  should  be  de- 
veloped. Incidents  from  the  life  of  Livingstone, 
Whitman,  or  Florence  Nightingale  might  be  ar- 
ranged for  such  a  play.  If  the  young  people  of 
the  senior  division  join  with  the  high-school  girls 
and  boys  in  the  acting,  the  outcome  will  be  more 
likely  to  be  effective.  Information  regarding  air 
ready  prepared  material  for  missionary  plays  can 
be  obtained  from  "  The  Missionary  Education 
Movement."  Its  representatives  have  well  said  that 
"  those  interested  in  this  form  of  religious  education 
should  seek  to  acquaint  themselves  with  those  prin- 
ciples which  scientifically  relate  the  use  of  the 
dramatic  instinct  to  other  educational  processes. 
LTnless  the  work  of  preparation  and  presentation 
be  regulated  in  this  way,  the  method  will  not  only 
fail  to  yield  satisfactory  results,  but  much  harm 
may  be  done."  The  reading  by  the  teacher  of  "  The 
Children's  Educational  Theatre,"  by  Alice  M.  Herts, 
will  be  suggestive. 

Photographs,  small  and  large,  of  well-known  mis- 
sionaries, and  exhibit  material  also,  can  be  secured 
from  the  source  named  above,  and  also  from  the 


88  Graded  Missionary  Education 

American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society  and  other 
denominational  Societies.  The  manual  methods  used 
in  Bible  lessons  may  be  applied  to  missionary  studies. 
One  of  the  best  is  the  making  of  a  biography, 
either  by  a  class  unitedly  or  by  a  single  pupil,  and 
for  this  pictures  will  be  desirable;  stories  about 
mission  work  in  one  country  might  be  the  subject 
of  another  booklet.  Missionary  hymns  well  selected 
and  fittingly  connected  could  be  included,  and  maps 
made  by  the  pupils  showing  journeys  and  events 
would  of  course  have  a  place.  For  suggestions  as 
to  doing  such  work,  see  "  Hand  Work  in  the  Sunday 
School,"  by  Milton  S.  Littlefield.  Small  and  large 
outline  maps  of  countries  where  Baptist  missions 
are  established  can  be  secured  from  the  American 
Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society.  These  may  be 
filled  in  by  marking  places  where  missions  are  to  be 
found.  Famous  sayings  of  famous  missionaries 
could  also  be  used  in  the  right  connection,  as  "  We 
can  do  it  if  we  will"  (Samuel  J.  Mills),  "Expect 
great  things  from  God,  attempt  great  things  for 
God"  (William  Carey). 

The  making  of  post-card  albums  of  mission  coun- 
tries is  another  good  work.  The  observance  of  spe- 
cial occasions,  such  as  the  birthdays  of  pioneer  mis- 
sionaries, or  the  celebration  of  some  great  event, 
may  form  a  good  entertainment  now  and  then  in 
places  where  occupation  should  be  provided.  The 
pupils  may  decorate  the  rooms  with  flags  and  curios. 
Collections  of  curios  may  be  borrowed  perhaps,  and 


In  the  Church  School  89 

the  girls  and  boys  be  dressed  in  costume.  Plans  of 
this  kind  suggested  in  the  last  chapter  may  be 
adapted  to  and  made  useful  for  the  intermediate 
group. 

A  consideration  of  expression  through  service 
leads  us  to  the  other  part  of  the  suggested  plan, 
namely,  that  which  will  direct  the  emotions  and  en- 
ergies by  acquainting  these  young  people  with  some 
of  the  community  needs,  near  and  far,  and  helping 
them  to  meet  these  needs  as  far  as  they  can.  First 
will  come  training  in  responsibility  for  the  church 
and  loyalty  to  that  organization.  Three  avenues 
are  open  for  this : 

1.  Through  class  pride  and  comradeship;  al- 
ways subordinating  the  class  interests  to  those 
of  school  and  church. 

2.  Through  the  cultivation  of  a  sense  of 
honor  to  do  whatever  the  minister  asks. 

3.  By  serving  (under  leadership  and  super- 
vision) in  ways  such  as  the  following: 

Assisting  at  social  affairs  for  the  primary  and 
kindergarten  children. 

Decorating  the  Sunday  School  rooms  of  the 
lower  departments. 

Singing  by  groups  when  desired. 

Packing  boxes  of  magazines,  books,  etc.,  to 
furnish  libraries  in  mission  districts. 

Acting  as  doorkeepers  and  ushers  when 
needed. 

G 


90  Graded  Missionary  Education 

Most  of  these  activities  cultivate  a  family  spirit 
or  accord  with  the  interest  of  boys  and  girls  of  this 
age ;  e.  g.,  girls  are  eager  to  assist  at  little  children's 
parties,  boys  are  wilHng  to  use  hammer  and  nails 
in  decorating  a  room,  or,  if  in  a  suburban  or 
country  place,  to  go  and  gather  in  the  spring  or 
autumn  natural  objects  suitable  for  decoration. 
Their  interest  in  reading  makes  them  respond  to  the 
work  involved  in  sending  magazines,  etc.,  if  they 
know,  for  instance,  that  in  the  lumber-camps  or 
among  the  sailor-boys  there  is  little  or  no  reading 
material.  Work  for  fishermen  and  the  "  keepers 
of  the  shore  "  would  be  excellent  for  some  boys. 
Stories  of  Grenfell's  Mission  and  a  proposition  to  do 
something  for  it  will  generally  call  forth  a  response. 
So  also  will  the  pioneer  service  of  missionaries  on 
the  western  frontiers  and  in  the  mining  districts,  if 
rightly  presented.  Miss  Crawford's  life  among  the 
Indians  could  be  made  as  fascinating  to  girls  as  a 
story-book.  Then  the  packing  of  boxes  with  all 
sorts  of  good  things  to  go  to  one  or  more  of  these 
groups  will  be  great  fun.  When  boxes  are  to  be 
filled  and  sent  to  home  or  foreign  mission  fields,  it  is 
best  to  correspond  first  with  the  secretary  of  the  de- 
nominational mission  board  or  Society.  Sometimes 
things  are  duplicated,  or  the  cost  of  transportation 
and  duty  will  exceed  the  value  of  the  gifts.  Again 
particular  schools  or  institutions  will  be  much  in 
need  of  particular  things,  and  in  finding  out  and 
sending  these  a  greater  good  will  be  done,  while  a 


In  the  Church  School  91 

greater  interest  will  also  be  awakened  because  of 
the  special  need. 

Many  girls  and  boys  are  baptized  and  come  into 
full  membership  with  the  church  between  twelve 
and  sixteen  years  of  age.  They  should  be  led  to 
feel  a  responsibility  for  its  well-being  and  for  the 
success  of  what  it  undertakes.  Girls  should  be  in- 
structed about  the  Women's  Societies  of  the  de- 
nomination, and  have  stories  of  woman's  work. 
Boys  should  be  made  familiar  with  such  efforts  as 
the  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement — what  it  is, 
how  organized,  and  why.  It  would  be  informing 
to  find  out  the  proportion  of  the  adult  church- 
membership  of  to-day  that  is  familiar  with  the 
missionary  organizations  for  which  its  church 
stands.  If  Sunday  School  training  includes  a 
knowledge  of  these,  together  with  cooperation,  we 
may  hope  with  confidence  that  Christ's  kingdom 
will  more  quickly  come. 

Opportunities  of  service  in  village  and  country 
churches  are  different  from  those  of  the  city.  The 
excellent  use  of  one  of  these  opportunities  was  de- 
scribed not  long  ago :  A  village  church  in  a  Western 
State  stood  in  grounds  bare  and  unattractive;  it 
was  springtime,  and  a  social  gathering  of  the  Sun- 
day School  was  announced  for  a  certain  evening. 
The  special  object  was  kept  a  secret  until  after  the 
supper  and  games,  when  all  were  seated,  and  a 
table  was  moved  into  the  center  of  the  room.  The 
sheet  that  covered  it  was  removed,  and  there  stood 


g2  Graded  Missionary  Education 

a  model  of  the  church  built  out  of  blocks,  with  the 
sheds  in  the  rear.  In  front  was  the  representation 
of  a  green  lawn,  with  a  flower-bed  in  the  center, 
and  in  the  angle  of  the  steps  was  a  semicircle  of 
shrubbery.  The  corners  of  the  parking  also  had 
shrubbery,  and  the  driveway  to  the  sheds  was  bor- 
dered with  a  barberry  hedge.  After  a  brief  talk 
about  "  how  little  money  it  took  to  make  every- 
thing about  the  church  look  as  if  the  people  cared 
for  it,"  and  the  showing  of  pictures  of  well-kept 
church  lawns,  every  one  was  ready  to  go  to  work. 
The  men's  class  agreed  to  furnish  top-soil  and  fer- 
tilizer, a  young  women's  class  would  seed  it,  two 
boys'  classes  would  get  the  shrubbery  from  the 
woods  near-by,  the  women's  class  offered  to  supply 
the  hedge,  and  a  young  men's  class  to  set  it  out. 
Two  classes  of  girls  decided  to  furnish  the  flower- 
bed. The  primary  class  must  have  some  part,  so 
window-boxes  were  built  at  their  windows,  and  the 
children  contributed  the  plants.  "  The  teachers 
went  with  the  boys  in  search  of  shrubbery.  This 
meant  a  closer  comradeship.  The  day  the  shrub- 
bery was  set  out  and  the  lawn  seeded,  the  women's 
class  furnished  a  dinner  in  the  church.  Plants  and 
lawn  needed  water,  so  a  hose  was  bought  and  a 
water  brigade  organized,  each  set  of  boys  respon- 
sible for  so  many  days.  There  were  weeding  parties 
with  a  picnic  lunch.  The  village  paper  gave  the 
school  several  write-ups.  It  was  talked  of  at 
home,  praised  by  people  of  the  village.    The  boys 


In  the  Church  School  93 

and  girls  said  '  our  church.'  The  Sunday  School 
grew  in  numbers  and  interest  as  it  had  not  before 
because  the  pupils  had  a  mind  to  work." 

While  this  illustrates  a  united  effort  of  an  entire 
school,  and  for  that  reason  was  especially  good,  it 
has  a  special  place  here  because  it  shows  how  boys 
and  girls  can  be  led  to  help  and  become  proud  of 
"our  church." 

They  may  be  influenced  in  similar  ways  to  a  com- 
munity interest  and  to  efforts  for  improvement  in 
the  place  in  which  they  live.  The  following  account 
is  given  as  a  single  illustration  of  how  to  make  a 
plan  for  service  in  church  and  town,  and  then  get 
the  sympathy  and  cooperation  of  a  group  of  boys 
to  fulfil  it.  Their  teacher  knew  that  the  Sunday's 
teaching  could  be  only  a  part  of  her  work  if  it  were 
to  be  successful.  If  she  was  to  reach  her  goal  she 
must  work  with  the  boys  in  the  week.  It  would 
take  time  and  trouble,  but — seven  boys  were  to  be 
saved !  Stories  from  "  The  Arabian  Nights  "  would 
give  an  evening's  "  good  time."  A  picnic  must  fol- 
low, for  Miss  Harrington  had  something  in  mind 
besides  the  good  time.  She  knew  something  of  the 
Boy  Scout  Movement;  she  got  the  full  printed  in- 
formation, and  with  it  went  to  one  of  the  best 
farmers  in  the  neighborhood,  who  had  boys  of  his 
own.  Nothing  would  induce  him  to  take  a  Sunday 
School  class,  but  he  would  go  on  the  picnic  and 
show  the  boys  how  to  make  a  fire  and  do  some 
other  things  that  Scouts  do.    There  was  no  organ- 


94  Graded  Missionary  Education 

ization  of  Scouts ;  neither  farmer  nor  teacher  knew 
enough  to  be  leaders,  and  Miss  Harrington  thought 
that  a  fuller  organization  of  the  class  would  come 
most  effectively  later.  A  microscope  was  taken  on 
the  picnic,  and  the  boys'  interest  in  nature  deep- 
ened; by  and  by  there  were  walks  to  the  woods  on 
Sunday  afternoons,  sometimes  with  one  boy,  some- 
times with  all.  Gradually  the  boys  were  set  to 
work  in  little  ways  for  the  good  of  the  community 
and  the  church.  "  Would  it  not  be  nice  to  have  a 
flower-bed  down  at  the  station,  such  as  she  had 
seen  at  other  places  ?  "  Having  gained  permission, 
Miss  Harrington  asked  two  boys  to  bring  suitable 
plants  from  the  woods.  Then — "  With  a  flower- 
bed, the  bench  in  front  of  the  station  ought  to  be 
clean.  If  it  was  not  decent  to  sit  upon,  what  was 
the  use  of  having  it  there?"  Soon  the  boys  were 
busy,  and  proud  of  the  station  of  their  town.  Under 
Miss  Harrington's  direction  one  of  the  boys,  deft 
with  toqls,  made  a  sign-board  to  be  placed  near  the 
church,  "  to  announce  the  good  times."  And  one 
of  these  good  times  was  a  supper  in  the  barn  for 
the  Sunday  School,  suggested  by  the  teacher,  whose 
boys  cleaned,  arranged,  and  decorated  the  room  for 
the  occasion.  The  time  came  when  the  class  was 
more  fully  organized,  a  box  was  supplied  for  the 
money  they  decided  to  use  for  good  work,  and  a 
treasurer  appointed.  The  boys  voted  as  to  a  name 
and  badge ;  a  little  pin  with  the  words,  "  I  serve," 
was  accepted ;  and  membership  in  "  Miss  Harring- 


In  the  Church  School  95 

ton's  Class  "  had  come  to  be  reckoned  an  honor  and 
a  privilege. 

It  is  wise  to  train  in  the  systematic  giving  of 
money  at  this  age,  not  in  a  narrow  and  arbitrary 
way,  but  so  as  to  show  the  value  of  business-like 
method  rather  than  impulsive  action.  Many  boys 
and  girls  have  spending-money,  and  to  discuss  mo- 
tive and  regularity  in  giving  will  be  helpful.  Why 
do  I  bring  five  cents  to  Sunday  School  ?  would  be  a 
good  question  for  discussion.  Would  a  penny  be 
better  if  it  were  my  own,  than  five  cents  that  is  not 
mine?  How  much  do  I  give  in  one  month  to  help 
make  some  one  better?  How  much  do  I  spend  for 
"  treats  "  to  myself  or  some  one  else  ?  All  these 
questions  would  be  suggestive  for  thought.  Greater 
interest  in  giving  will  be  gained  if  the  pupils  are 
made  responsible  for  the  use  of  their  money.  It  is 
their  gift,  and  they  should  be  allowed  to  decide  by 
vote  of  the  class  or  school  to  what  they  will  give, 
and  if  they  have  a  fund,  how  much  shall  be  ap- 
propriated from  it  for  any  one  cause.  Such  voting 
will  be  guided  to  some  extent  by  the  presentation 
of  things  wise  to  undertake.  The  younger  the  chil- 
dren are,  or  the  less  able  they  are  to  decide  wisely, 
the  more  they  should  be  guided,  but  free  expression 
is  desirable.  A  superintendent  or  committee  should 
not  decide  as  to  the  use  of  the  offerings  without 
at  least  a  presentation  of  the  matter  to  a  school  or 
department.  Shares  of  stock  in  some  enterprise  on 
the  one-dollar  or  one-dime  plan   sometimes  work 


96  Graded  Missionary  Education 

well.  Many  "  gospel  ships  "  ^  have  been  sent  out 
as  a  result  of  this  method.  A  report  has  been  given 
of  one  intermediate  department  which,  after  a  study 
of  Paton's  life  and  work,  formed  itself  into  the  New 
Hebrides  Missionary  Company,  and  sold  shares  at 
ten  cents  each.  Methods  of  giving  referred  to  in 
the  Bible  might  be  considered  in  some  classes;  also 
examples  of  Christian  givers,  and  the  envelope  or 
savings-box  plan  be  adopted. 

The  advisability  of  all  these  things  will  depend 
largely  on  the  all-around  development  of  a  class. 
In  fact,  no  hard  and  fast  plans  can  be  laid  down, 
and  no  one  order  of  arrangement  in  the  use  of  sub- 
jects be  put  forward.  If  this  were  done,  the  prin- 
ciples set  forth  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  little  book 
would  be  contradicted,  for  missionary  training  must 
be  related  to  the  whole  training  and  the  use  of  one 
subject  or  another,  and  the  precedence  of  either  one 
will  rightly  depend  on  the  conditions  in  the  par- 
ticular school — its  personnel  and  locality,  its  chosen 
curriculum,  its  relations  with  missionaries  home 
and  foreign,  and  the  philanthropies  in  the  com- 
munity of  which  it  forms  a  part.  The  choice  of 
subject-matter  should  depend  also,  to  some  extent, 
on  the  denominational  interests ;  e.  g.,  the  countries 
in  which  Baptists  have  missions,  and  their  methods 
of  work  will  have  naturally  the  leading  place  in  a 
Baptist  church  school.     Our  aim  here  is  to  show 

^  See  "  Gospel  Ship  Packet."  containing  the  "  Log  of  the  Gospel 
Ship  "  and  six  hand-colored  post-cards  of  the  Inland  Sea,  published 
by  the  American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society. 


Ill  the  Church  School  97 

what  may  be  included  in  each  period  of  child  life, 
and  to  indicate  how  that  may  be  developed. 


Additional  Books  for  Teachers  and  Pupils 

Grenfell,  Wilfred  T. :  "  Adrift  on  an  Ice-pan." 

Grenfell,  Wilfred  T. :  "  Off  the  Rocks." 

Lambert,  John  C. :  "  Romance  of  Missionary 
Heroism." 

Stories  of  Patteson,  Livingstone,  Gordon,  and 
Chalmers  (under  separate  covers). 

Holcomb,  H.  H.  H. :  "  Men  of  Might  in  Indian 
Missions." 

Hubbard,  Ethel  D. :  "  Ann  of  Ava." 

Paris,  John  T. :  "  Winning  the  Oregon  Country." 

Yan  Phou  Lee :  ''  When  I  Was  a  Boy  in  China." 

Humphreys,  Mary  G. :  "  Missionary  Explorers 
Among  the  American  Indians." 

Dimock,  Leila  A. :  "  Comrades  from  Other 
Lands." 

Henry,  John  R. :  "  Some  Immigrant  Neighbors." 

Crowell,  Katherine  R. :  "  Coming  x\mericans  " ; 
"  The  Life  of  John  G.  Paton." 

Talks  on  Africa  (six  outlines.  Foreign  Missions 
Library,  New  York). 

Chipman,  Chas.  P.:  "Heroes  of  Modern  Mis- 
sions." 

Grose,  H.  B. :  "  Men  of  Mark  in  Modern  Mis- 
sions." 

Griggs,  W.  C. :  "  The  Children  of  Mission  Lands." 


98  Graded  Missionary  Education 

FOR   TEACHERS 

On  the  study  of  boy  and  girl  character 

Weigle,  Luther  A. :  "  The  Pupil  and  the  Teacher." 
McKeever,  Wm.  A. :  "  The  Training  of  the  Boy." 
McKeever,  Wm.  A. :  "  The  Training  of  the  Girl." 
Hyde,  Wm.  DeWitt :  "  The  Quest  of  the  Best." 
Hoben,  Allan :  "  The  Minister  and  the  Boy." 
Slattery,  Margaret :  "  The  Girl  in  Her  Teens." 
Fiske,  Walter  Geo. :  "  Boy  Life  and  Self-Govern- 
ment." 

Alexander,  John  L. :  "  The  Sunday  School  and  the 
Teens." 

Raffety,  W.  Edward :  "  Brothering  the  Boy." 
Richardson  and  Loomis :  "  The  Boy  Scout  Move- 
ment Applied  to  the  Church." 


VI 


MISSIONARY  SERVICE  AND  INSTRUC- 
TION FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 

The  Purpose 

Before  planning  any  work  for  young  people  above 
sixteen  years  of  age,  we  need  to  see  clearly  the  pur- 
pose underlying  the  training.  It  will  serve  as  a  guide 
in  the  making  of  plans.  Expressed  in  one  word, 
this  purpose  is  service.  This  should  be  the  climax 
toward  which  all  the  preceding  instruction  and  the 
present  study  leads.  This  does  not  mean  necessarily 
the  doing  of  so-called  "  church  work."  It  means 
something  more  than  that,  while  that  will  be  in- 
cluded. Serving  has  been  planned  for  by  arranging 
for  many  different  acts  during  the  earlier  years,  but 
our  present  thought  refers  to  life  service. 

Young  people  need  first  a  growing  appreciation 
that  Christian  living  is  a  living  for  others,  that  in 
the  broad  sense  the  terms  Christian  and  missionary 
are  synonymous.  When  speaking  to  a  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  President  Wilson  said: 

I  wonder  how  many  of  us  think  of  Christianity  as  an 
instrumentality  for  the  practical  development  of  mankind. 
No  man  is  a  true  Christian  who  does  not  think  of  how 

99 


lOO  Graded  Missionary  Education 

he  can  help  his  brothers,  how  he  can  uplift  mankind,  and 
who  does  not  labor  unselfishly  for  others.  The  duty  of 
Christian  young  men  is  to  uplift  the  world.  They  are  the 
strongest  kind  of  young  men.  I  beheve  there  is  growing 
to  be  more  and  more  a  demand  for  such  men  in  the  world, 
for  the  world  is  growing  to  appreciate  them  more  and 
more. 

Mrs.  Pearl  G.  Winchester  has  well  said : 

Serving  is  ministering  to  needs,  not  merely  indulging 
ourselves  in  generous  impulses.  If  you  can  help  young 
people  to  see  this  fundamental  relation  you  will  render 
them  a  lasting  service  and  forestall  a  large  amount  of  well- 
meant  but  misdirected  activity.  The  first  thing  in  helping 
others  is  to  find  out  what  they  really  need  to  help  them 
to  better  living. 

President  Woolley,  of  Mount  Holyoke  College, 
has  said  something  to  this  effect : 

Since  the  conditions  of  modem  life  are  such  as  to 
separate  classes  rather  than  to  unite  them,  to  make  selfish 
interests  paramount  rather  than  subordinate,  it  is  mani- 
festly the  responsibility  of  education  to  withstand  the 
drift,  to  turn  the  current.  There  are  many  ways  of  stat- 
ing the  aim,  the  ideal,  but  it  may  be  expressed  in  the 
simplest  terms.  It  is,  after  all,  nothing  more  than  the 
development  of  the  neighborhood  spirit,  the  friendly  "at- 
titude," if  we  may  borrow  the  expression  from  the  Friends, 
in  the  sense  in  which  they  use  it,  but  with  the  neighbor- 
hood extended  to  include  humanity  of  all  sorts  and  con- 
ditions :  the  friendly  spirit  stretched  to  the  full  significance 
of  what  it  means  in  human  relationship. 

These  three  quotations  make  clear  the  large  idea 
of  service  that  should  be  an  underlying  purpose  in 


In  the  Church  School  lot 

work  with  young  people.  This  purpose  should  in- 
clude leading  them  to  a  reasonable  appreciation  of 
the  greatness  of  a  life  devoted  to  home  or  foreign 
missions;  and  in  some  instances,  to  a  consecration 
of  themselves  to  such  a  service.  In  the  years  im- 
mediately preceding  this  age,  ideals  of  life  have 
been  forming,  and  in  teaching,  control  of  these  ideals 
has  been  sought  through  example.  Great  characters 
have  been  set  before  these  boys  and  girls,  as  their 
visions,  dreams,  and  longings  have  been  evident,  and 
appeal  has  been  made  by  way  of  spiritual  heroism. 
Now  life  decisions  are  being  made  more  definitely. 
Therefore  direct  appeal  through  reason  is  needed 
that  choices  and  decisions  may  be  of  the  highest  kind. 
The  need,  the  opportunity,  the  glory  of  missionary 
work  should  be  presented  in  a  reasonable  way  by 
definite  information  of  what  is  being  done,  and  of 
what  might  be  done  if  men  and  women  should  give 
themselves  to  this  particular  service.  The  appeal 
must  come  by  the  wise  presentation  of  "  the  call,"  as 
George  H.  Trull  suggests,  "  from  all  types  of  fields 
for  life  service."  "  Home  missions  "  include  much 
that  is  not  always  thought  of  as  such,  e.  g.,  the  ser- 
vice rendered  in  many  a  settlement  house.  More 
and  more  a  variety  of  talents  and  experiences  is 
needed  on  the  foreign  field — positions  of  teacher, 
doctor,  preacher,  executive  manager,  etc.,  are  to 
be  filled.  If  it  is  the  Sunday  School  leader's  clear 
purpose  to  guide  in  life  decisions,  opportunities  will 
come  for  tactful  suggestion  along  these  lines,  with- 


I02  Graded  Missionary  Education 

out  an  urgent  preachment  that  might  do  more  harm 
than  good. 


Plans  for  Instruction  and  Training 

In  some  Sunday  Schools  a  definite  goal  is  set  for 
the  completion  of  the  regular  courses  of  instruction, 
and  a  time  of  graduation  is  looked  forward  to,  after 
which  elective  courses  are  taken.  If  this  graduation 
corresponds  in  time  with  the  average  age  of  gradua- 
tion from  public  high  school,  it  will  be  at  eighteen 
years.  In  harmony  with  such  a  plan,  two  years  of 
missionary  instruction  and  service  can  be  easily  ar- 
ranged from  the  suggestions  put  forth  here.  If  the 
time  of  the  graded  Sunday  School  courses  is  ex- 
tended, there  is  ample  opportunity  through  these 
plans  for  an  extension  of  missionary  study  and 
work  to  cover  several  years. 

The  best  selection  to  be  made  from  the  subject- 
matter  given  below  must  depend,  in  part,  on  how 
well  equipped  the  particular  young  people  are,  and 
on  what  training  they  have  received  in  the  lower  de- 
partments of  the  school.  If  they  have  not  done  the 
work  suggested  in  the  preceding  chapter  for  the  in- 
termediate grade,  it  may  be  well,  in  some  instances, 
to  do  the  most  advanced  work  planned  for  that 
grade.  But  supposing  it  has  been  done,  the  ques- 
tion now  for  the  teacher  is,  To  what  shall  these 
young  people  go  on?  This  must  be  determined  by 
considering  what  is  best  fitted  for  their  Christian 


In  the  Church  School  103 

development.  To  fulfil  the  general  purpose  and 
to  meet  the  particular  needs  of  any  young  people 
requires  most  careful  planning.  These  needs  are 
affected  by  age,  education,  and  environment.  The 
instruction  and  work  of  each  individual  group  must 
vary  to  some  degree. 

For  many  classes  there  is  nothing  better  than 
the  series  of  Sunday  School  lessons  entitled  "  The 
World  a  Field  for  Christian  Service "  (Keystone 
International  Graded  Courses),  prepared  by  Dr. 
Philip  A.  Nordell.  The  point  of  contact  and  the 
point  of  procedure  must  be  quite  different  from 
those  in  the  earher  teaching  periods,  in  the  use  of 
this  or  any  other  subject-matter.  In  the  way  these 
lessons  have  been  developed  an  appeal  to  reason  and 
to  choice  has  been  in  mind,  and  there  is  a  recog- 
nition of  the  fact  that  young  people  of  this  age  are 
interested  in  world  affairs  and  life  questions. 

The  interpretation  of  missions  given  in  this  series 
is  large  and  inclusive,  but  very  definite.  The  con- 
secutive use  of  the  entire  plan  will  be  most  profit- 
able; but  when  this  is  not  possible,  teachers  will 
find  in  certain  parts  excellent  help  for  missionary 
instruction,  either  on  Sunday  or  a  week-day  evening. 
To  illustrate:  No  subject  is  more  important  for 
consideration,  and  none  can  be  made  more  inter- 
esting than  that  of  the  immigrant.  A  number  of 
suggestions  on  this  topic  are  given  in  two  pages 
of  "Study  20"  of  this  series.  (See  Teacher's 
Manual.)     "Study  21"  presents  facts  on  "  Medi- 


104  Graded  Missionary  Education 

cal  Missions  "  that  will  stir  the  hearts  and  wills  of 
some  young  people  to  help  in  that  direction.  On 
page  119  of  the  manual  is  a  statement  of  what 
foreign  missions  have  done  and  are  doing  that  will 
convince  any  one  that  they  are  worth  helping.  Fol- 
lowing such  studies  as  these  come  a  number  of  wise 
discussions  on  "  Finding  One's  Place  in  the  World's 
Work,"  with  the  aim  of  leading  to  serious  thought 
and  definite  consecration. 

When  young  people  know  the  conditions  and 
needs  they  will  respond.  To  the  Sunday  School 
more  than  any  other  agency  comes  the  opportunity 
of  letting  them  know,  and  in  many  instances  the 
Sunday  School  has  passed  it  by.  But  there  are  two 
ways  of  giving  information:  one  by  the  lecture 
method ;  the  other  by  suggestion,  investigation,  and 
discussion  which,  by  the  way,  will  include  direct 
and  indirect  information.  The  latter  is  the  stronger 
working  principle  for  all  teaching,  and  so  must  be 
applied  to  missionary  training  in  particular.  Good 
illustration  of  the  use  of  this  method  is  found  in 
the  lessons  referred  to  above.  It  is  the  method  that 
appeals  to  young  people,  and  will  bring  effective 
results.  Some  information  is  given,  and  as  they 
consider  and  discuss  it  and  seek  to  find  the  truth 
out  of  their  own  experience  and  that  of  others,  their 
wills  will  be  strengthened  to  act  in  the  right  direc- 
tion. 

If  a  biographical  form  of  study  is  desired,  the 
text-book    entitled    "  Servants    of    the    King,"    by 


hi  the  ChtircJi  School  105 

Robert  E.  Speer,  will  be  useful.  This  includes 
eleven  characters,  and  is  planned  for  a  three-months' 
study  of  home  and  foreign  missionaries.  It  may 
well  be  used  later  than  the  biographical  lessons  sug- 
gested in  the  last  chapter;  the  subjects  are  almost 
all  different,  are  of  women  as  well  as  men,  and  the 
form  of  presentation  is  better  fitted  to  this  age; 
the  motives  and  decisions  of  these  missionaries  are 
brought  out  with  the  hope  of  leading  young  people 
to  dedicate  themselves  to  life  service  in  missionary 
fields.  The  title  carries  with  it  a  suggestion  espe- 
cially for  this  age.  In  one  church  the  young  people 
in  the  high-school  department  of  the  Sunday  School 
are  using  this  text-book  at  their  meetings  Sunday 
evening,  and  dififerent  classes  are  responsible  for 
different  parts.  "  Comrades  in  Service,"  by  Mar- 
garet E.  Burton,  is  a  companion  volume  to  "  Ser- 
vants of  the  King,"  and  also  contains  eleven  brief 
biographies  of  persons  who  have  spent  their  lives 
in  Christian  service.  With  this  study  might  well 
be  associated  information  regarding  the  Student 
Volunteer  Movement  and  its  great  leader,  John  R. 
Mott.  Whatever  course  of  studies  is  pursued,  a 
right  place  for  this  should  be  found  in  many  classes. 
(There  are,  of  course,  classes  where  it  would  not 
be  of  any  use,  neither  would  be  "  The  Servants  of 
the  King.")  Young  men  and  women  will  be  stirred 
by  accounts  of  this  man's  work  and  the  religious 
interest  of  which  he  tells.  Different  class-members 
might  be  given  the   following  facts  to  report,  or 


io6  Graded  Missionary  Education 

one  person  read  some  more  recent  saying  of  Doctor 
Mott.  In  1899  he  could  not  get  within  range  of 
the  Russian  students.  In  his  visit  in  1913,  thirty 
to  forty  professors  joined  with  large  bodies  of  stu- 
dents to  hear  him.  A  great  thirst  for  truth  is 
shown,  and  the  Russian  student  seems  the  most 
religious  of  any. 

In  an  early  visit  to  China  he  was  told  by  seven- 
teen college  presidents  that  he  could  never  reach 
the  literati  of  China  in  public  assembly.  Five  years 
later,  "  the  walls  of  Jericho  had  begun  to  crumble." 
In  1913,  in  the  largest  theater  of  Canton,  he  had 
an  audience  of  one  thousand  three  hundred  stu- 
dents, with  fifty  Chinese  officials  on  the  platform, 
including  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court 
and  the  Premier,  neither  of  whom  was  a  Christian. 

In  a  town  in  Manchuria,  chiefly  populated  by 
the  ancient  literati,  the  governor  built  a  pavilion  to 
be  used  for  the  meetings.  The  government  col- 
lege was  closed  for  the  two  days,  in  which  Doctor 
Mott  made  six  addresses.  A  test  was  put  before 
the  students.  They  were  asked  to  sign  a  paper 
on  which  were  three  statements,  embracing  the  fol- 
lowing : 

1.  I  agree  to  read  between  the  months  of 
March  and  June  the  little  book  in  which  are  the 
four  Gospels. 

2.  I  will  pray  daily  to  the  holy  God  to  guide 
me  to  the  truth. 


In  the  Church  School  107 

3.  When  my  reason  and  my  conscience  tell 
me  to,  I  will  accept  the  Christian  faith  and  life. 

Six  hundred  students  signed  this  paper. 

If  any  members  of  a  Sunday  School  class  had 
not  themselves  definitely  accepted  the  Christian  faith 
and  life,  the  above  might  lead  them  to  earnest  con- 
sideration. 

A  third  plan  of  study  that  may  be  suggested  will 
be  suitable  for  the  more  advanced  classes ;  it  touches 
on  the  historical  phase  of  the  subject,  being  a  review 
of  the  development  of  Christianity  from  early  days, 
to  be  followed  by  a  survey  of  comparative  religions. 
A  study  of  the  growth  of  the  Christian  religion  will 
emphasize  its  power  and  show  its  worth.  It  will 
be  helpful  also  to  the  older  young  people  to  have 
an  unprejudiced  view  of  the  strength  and  the  weak- 
ness of  other  religions,  and  the  need  for  Christian- 
ity in  lands  where  it  is  not  known.  In  the  "  Com- 
pletely Graded  Series "  of  Sunday  School  lessons 
are  courses  of  this  type  under  the  titles,  "  Prep- 
arations for  Christianity,"  "  Landmarks  of  Chris- 
tian History,"  and  "  The  Conquering  Christ,"  the 
last  of  the  three  taking  up  a  discussion  of  the  non- 
Christian  religions  in  a  broad  and  wise  way. 

Young  people  of  a  church  should  become  intel- 
ligent in  regard  to  the  missionary  undertakings  and 
organizations  of  the  denomination  to  which  their 
church  belongs.  If  the  boys  and  girls  have  been 
made  familiar  with  some  of  these,  the  young  peo- 


io8  Graded  Missionary  Education 

pie  should  be  increasingly  interested,  that  they  may 
feel  some  responsibility  for,  and  a  loyalty  to,  any- 
thing in  which  their  church  has  a  share.  Their 
interest  will  depend  on  the  way  in  which  informa- 
tion is  given.  The  following  outline  of  a  lesson 
on  the  American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society 
may  be  suggestive.  Such  a  lesson  can  be  inserted 
in  the  series  of  Sunday  School  lessons  mentioned 
above  at  the  most  fitting  point,  or  it  can  be  used 
at  some  special  meeting  of  a  class. 

The  text-book,  "  Following  the  Sunrise,"  by  Helen 
Barrett  Montgomery,  will  supply  material  for  this 
lesson.  The  Bible  words,  "  The  people  that  walked 
in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light,"  will  be  on  the 
class  blackboard  or  on  a  large  sheet  of  manila 
paper  presented  before  the  class.  The  questions, 
(i)  How  was  it  that  some  of  these  people  were 
first  able  to  see  the  light?  (2)  Who  first  carried 
the  light  to  them?  (3)  Where  is  the  light  given  by 
the  Baptists  shining  to-day?  may  be  answered  by 
certain  members  who  have  prepared  on  the  fol- 
lowing topics  (they  can  tell  briefly  of  the  matter  in 
their  own  words,  or  by  reading  quotations ;  assign- 
ments should  be  made  a  week  previous  to  the  class 
session) : 

1.  The  beginning  of  missionary  interest  a  century 
ago.     (See  pages  1-28  of  text-book.) 

2.  A  brief  story  of  the  first  Baptist  mission- 
aries to  India  (using  pictures  in  text-book,  pages 
26-44). 


In  the  Church  School  109 

3.  (i)  Word-pictures  and  other  pictures  of  pres- 
ent results  from  past  work.  (Pages  50,  51,  56, 
60-62;  also  pictures  opposite  pages  86  and  112.) 
(2)  Maps  showing  Baptist  mission  stations.  (See 
text-book  opposite  pages  23,  97,  141 ;  and,  if  pos- 
sible, have  large  outline  maps  made  and  put  within 
colored  dots  showing  the  many  stations.) 

The  leader  will  add  a  summary,  naming  the  vari- 
ous countries  in  which  the  American  Baptist  For- 
eign Mission  Society  has  mission  stations.  If  the 
class-members  cannot  prepare  the  work  proposed, 
then  the  leader  may  give  it  in  story  form  under  the 
above  divisions,  or  write  out  some  outlines  for  stu- 
dents to  read,  giving  the  most  interesting  and  im- 
portant points. 

After  such  a  lesson  it  will  be  helpful  to  have 
an  evening's  entertainment  and  instruction  by  a 
dramatic  presentation  of  "  Jesus  Christ's  Men." 
(See  page  122  of  the  present  work.) 

A  reading  circle  will  be,  in  some  places,  a  social 
interest,  and  give  an  opportunity  for  reading  wide- 
awake missionary  books  or  stories.  This  will  appeal 
to  young  women  more  than  to  young  men.  If 
either  of  the  above  courses  are  studied,  it  would  be 
well  to  have  the  reading  correspond,  e.  g.,  with  the 
first  mentioned,  "  The  World  a  Field  for  Christian 
Service,"  and  the  lesson  study,  "  The  Immigrants," 
Mary  Antin's  "  The  Promised  Land  "  will  be  ex- 
cellent, or  if  the  lesson  is  on  home  missions,  Ralph 
Connor's  "  Black  Rock,"  Booker  Washington's  "  Up 


no  Graded  Missionary  Education 

from  Slavery,"  or  Don  Shelton's  "  Heroes  of  the 
Cross  in  America,"  would  be  good  according  to  the 
particular  subject  dwelt  upon.  The  last  two  are  of 
the  biographical  type,  and  if  that  is  the  interest, 
many  books  will  be  available  from  which  to  choose, 
as,  for  instance,  "  Livingstone,  the  Pathfinder,"  by 
Basil  Mathews ;  or  "  David  Livingstone,"  by  C.  Sil- 
vester Home ;  and  "  Memorials  of  Ion  Kieth-Fal- 
coner,"  by  Robert  Sinker  (or  a  sketch  of  his  life  in 
pamphlet  form).  Many  biographical  sketches  can 
be  obtained  in  leaflets,  as  in  the  so-called  "  Envelope 
Series  "of  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions. A  somewhat  heavier  type  of  reading,  im- 
portant for  the  day  and  full  of  interest  for  older 
and  well-educated  young  people,  is  found  in  such 
books  as  "The  Uplift  of  China,"  by  Arthur  H. 
Smith ;  "  India  Awakening,"  by  Sherwood  Eddy ; 
and  "  The  Social  Aspects  of  Foreign  Missions,"  by 
W.  H.  P.  Faunce.  Two  books  of  especial  value  to 
advanced  groups  of  young  men  are  "  The  New 
Home  Missions,"  a  study  of  the  subject  from  the 
social  standpoint  of  the  life  of  to-day,  and  "  The 
,  Call  of  the  World,"  by  W.  E.  Doughty,  a  discus- 
sion of  the  missionary  enterprise  and  the  individual 
man's  relation  to  it. 

Where  a  mission  study  class  is  formed,  it  will  be 
well  to  connect  it  with  the  evening  gatherings  of  a 
Sunday  School  class,  or  with  the  young  people's 
society.  It  is  advantageous  to  have  these  different 
means  of  training  related  and  under  one  manage- 


In  the  Church  School  m 

ment.  The  Sunday  School  courses  of  study  and 
the  mission  study  courses  should  be  correlated  and 
in  harmony  with  the  group's  benevolent  activities. 

A  reading  circle  may  arrange  an  interesting  eve- 
ning for  young  men  as  well  as  women  by  a  program 
of  short  stories  read  or  told.  If  fields  of  service  in 
the  home  country  are  being  studied  on  Sundays, 
selections  for  an  evening's  reading  might  be  made 
from  "  Frontier  Sketches  "  (published  by  the  Amer- 
ican Baptist  Home  Mission  Society).  The  follow- 
ing is  a  sample : 

SOUTH  DAKOTA  PIONEERING  IN   I907 
By  General  Missionary  W.  C.  King 

Camp  Crook,  the  principal  town  of  the  Little  Missouri 
Valley,  is  only  reached  by  stage  or  team,  after  a  journey 
of  eighty-five  miles,  usually  from  Belfourche.  It  is  not  a 
large  town,  numbering  in  all  about  two  hundred  souls,  but 
a  tremendous  amount  of  business  is  transacted  there,  and 
one  is  surprised  to  find  department  stores  of  such  size  and 
beauty  as  exist  there.  It  has  a  bank,  but  no  church.  At 
six-thirty  of  the  second  day  of  my  stage  ride,  I  landed 
there,  to  be  taken  by  the  hand  by  Brother  Backues,  our 
missionary  of  that  field.  He  was  anxious  to  be  off  to 
his  home  thirteen  miles  away,  so  we  were  soon  speeding 
on  westward.  Ever  and  anon  we  would  meet  a  company 
of  cowboys  headed  for  Camp  Crook,  and  each  time  the 
missionary  would  rein  up  his  team  and  greet  them,  re- 
ceiving hearty  response  to  his  invitation  to  the  service 
next  day. 

This  was  Saturday  evening,  and  early  next  day  we 
were  off  for  the  schoolhouse,  and  as  we  drew  near  Brother 
Backues  expressed  his  belief  that  we  would  be  the  first  to 


112  Graded  Missionary  Education 

arrive.  Imagine  our  surprise,  therefore,  on  reaching  the 
brow  of  the  hill,  to  see  the  schoolhouse  grounds  dotted 
with  vehicles,  though  it  was  an  hour  and  a  half  before 
service-time.  Some  of  those  present  that  day  drove  twenty- 
five  miles  to  attend. 

What  a  hearty,  eager  congregation!  They  came  from 
every  direction.  The  cowboys  came  in  shoals,  and  throw- 
ing their  belts  laden  with  six-shooters  over  the  fence-posts, 
tramped  down  the  one  aisle,  the  big  spurs  clicking  noisily, 
to  sit  on  the  edge  of  the  platform  at  my  feet  and  listen 
intently  to  the  word.  Oh,  the  exquisite  joy  that  thrilled 
me  in  preaching  that  day  to  those  hungry  souls.  At  the 
close  of  the  service  the  men  arranged  the  tables  and  the 
women  spread  such  a  dinner  as  the  appetite  created  by  the 
long  stage  drive  of  the  previous  day  prepared  one  to 
appreciate. 

Meanwhile,  the  General  Missionary  had  been  given  an- 
other surprise.  One  of  the  leading  ranchmen  of  the 
community  asked  for  an  interview,  and  said,  "We  want 
a  church  here."  To  my  reply  that  we  were  about  to  or- 
ganize one,  he  said,  "  I  know  that,  but  I  mean  a  building — 
we  MUST  have  a  building,  and  I  wish  you  would  start  the 
matter  here  to-day.  For  my  part  I  am  ready  to  say  that 
we  simply  will  not  live  this  way  longer,  and  bring  up  our 
children  without  the  sight  of  a  church  spire." 

On  being  asked  what  he  would  do  to  start  the  matter, 
he  answered,  "  fifty  dollars."  Others  were  ready  to  do  the 
same,  and  before  the  tables  were  cleared,  nearly  four 
hundred  dollars  had  been  raised  in  the  schoolhouse  con- 
gregation. 

Another  thrilling  experience  of  this  surprising  day  was 
the  outpouring  of  people  at  Camp  Crook  in  the  evening, 
and  the  intentness  with  which  they  listened.  Even  more 
impressive  were  some  of  the  conversations  with  the  men 
of  the  toM^n.  These  gave  evidence  of  a  profound  dis- 
satisfaction of  soul  and  an  intense  heart  hunger.    "  Come 


In  the  Church  School  113 

and  live  with  us  and  show  us  the  better  way."  One  of 
these  who  bears  a  name  well  known  to  Baptists,  went  two 
years  to  Morgan  Park  Seminary,  and  has  ability  above 
the  average.  What  a  wrench  it  gave  to  the  heart  to  talk 
with  him. 

"  We  are  not  what  we  seem,  out  here,  and  some  of  us 
long  for  help — it  seems  to  us  that,  had  we  just  a  little 
real  help,  we  could  get  out  of  this  way  of  living."  There 
is  one  point  that  is  clearer  to  me  than  ever,  since  this 
trip — it  is  worse  than  useless  to  send  any  but  men  of 
the  keenest  minds  and  most  genuine  character  to  such 
places  as  this. 

The  physician,  the  merchants,  were  like  the  one  I  have 
just  quoted,  in  that  they  have  trained,  keen  minds  and  cul- 
tivated tastes,  and  out  there  everybody  hates  cant  with  a 
deadly  hatred. 

Brother  Backues  stopped  his  team  and  bade  me  look  to 
the  north,  saying :  "  As  you  look,  reflect  that  it  is  sixty 
miles  to  the  N.  P.  line,  that  those  plains  are  being  dotted 
with  towns  like  Camp  Crook,  and  covered  with  communities 
like  Midland.  Now,  look  west,  remembering  that  it  is  one 
hundred  and  sixty  miles  to  Miles  City,  and  that  the  same 
thing  Is  true  in  that  direction,  people  pouring  in,  towns 
springing  up,  and  the  whole  country  arable  and  capable 
of  supporting  a  vast  population.  Now,  reflect  also  that, 
for  all  this  vast  territory,  there  are  but  three  of  us,  two 
missionaries  of  any  denomination  besides  myself.  Truly, 
the  harvest  Is  large  and  the  laborers  few." 

Supposing  the  groups  had  studied  of  Livingstone 
and  the  Dark  Continent,  then  the  story  of  "  Twen- 
tieth Century  Pioneering  in  Africa,"  as  told  by 
Mabel  E.  Emerson  in  "  The  Wellspring  "  of  1914/ 
might  be  used.    Here  is  a  part  of  what  she  tells : 

1  ••  The  Pilgrim  Press, 


114  Graded  Missionary  Education 

A  new  kind  of  worker  started  out  twelve  years  ago  for 
Mount  Silinda  in  Rhodesia,  a  man  who  had  been  a  civil 
engineer  for  five  years,  part  of  the  time  as  assistant  en- 
gineer for  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad.  The  call  came 
for  an  industrial  missionary,  and  he  had  said,  "  I  will  go," 
and  when  he  went  he  took  with  him  a  traction-engine  and 
a  sawmill.  To  get  these  to  their  destination  was  no  easy 
task,  and  the  writer  describes  the  difficulties  at  last  sur- 
mounted, and  ends  with  saying,  "A  visitor  at  Mount 
Silinda  to-day  would  see  missionary  homes,  schools,  and 
churches,  all  built  by  the  people  who  fifteen  years  ago 
could  make  nothing  better  than  a  mud  hut.  He  would 
find  a  brick  building  with  a  machine-shop  on  the  ground 
floor,  and  a  carpenter-shop  in  the  basement.  He  would 
find  a  sawmill  where  the  great  logs  from  the  Mount 
Silinda  forest  are  made  into  building  materials,  and  where 
the  traction-engine  is  fulfiUing  its  mission  in  very  truth. 
Two  miles  from  the  station  there  is  a  3"ard  where  the  boys 
make  the  bricks  and  the  only  pressed  tiles  manufactured 
in  all  Rhodesia. 

"  The  attitude  of  near-by  white  settlers  has  come  to  be 
one  of  genuine  respect  for  this  thriving  community.  But 
Mount  Silinda's  finest  product  is  the  young  men  and  young 
women  of  sturdy  Christian  character  and  a  home  life  per- 
meated with  the  Christian  spirit.  This  character-building 
is  the  crowning  achievement  of  the  Mount  Silinda  mis- 
sionaries." 

(In  this  connection,  "A  Master-builder  on  the 
Nile  " — a  biographical  book  recently  published — will 
present,  by  its  very  title,  an  attraction  to  young 
people.) 

Other  interesting  incidents  will  be  supplied  by 
educational  secretaries  of  the  different  denomina- 
tional Societies. 


In  the  Church  School  115 

No  better  story  can  be  found  to  be  used  with  the 
study  of  medical  missions  than  the  following: 

A  Life  for  China  ^ 

Arthur  Jackson  rose  from  his  letter-writing  and  began 
to  pace  vigorously  up  and  down  his  bare  room  at  the  mis- 
sion hospital.  The  Httle  fire  that  warmed  the  room  was 
almost  out,  but  he  did  not  stop  to  stir  it  up.  The  bitter 
cold  of  the  long  Manchurian  winter  had  no  terrors  for 
this  athletic  young  missionary  doctor.  He  breathed  in 
deep  draughts  of  the  frosty  air  and  beat  his  muscular  arms 
about  his  great  chest. 

Arthur  Jackson  had  been  a  crack  oarsman  in  his  college 
at  Cambridge  University,  England,  and  in  the  four  months 
since  he  had  come  to  China  he  had  found  plenty  of  work 
to  keep  him  in  training.  His  days  were  very  busy  with 
long  walks  to  visit  sick  people,  with  difficult  operations  in 
the  hospital,  and  with  coaching  his  Chinese  students  in 
football.  He  had  had  time  besides  to  make  amazing  prog- 
ress in  the  hardest  task  he  had  before  him,  the  learning  of 
the  difficult  Chinese  language.  There  was  not  a  lazy  bone 
in  his  great  body,  and  the  other  missionaries  had  soon 
found  out  that  young  Doctor  Jackson  was  always  ready 
for  big  tasks  and  never  complained  of  hardships. 

As  soon  as  his  hands  were  warm  he  went  back  to  his 
writing.  The  letter  was  to  his  sister  in  England.  It  was 
dated  Mukden,  Manchuria,  January  12,  1911.  "Whoever 
invented  Chinese  seems  to  have  an  enormous  stock  of  h's,  ^ 
s's,  c's,  w's,  and  n's,  which  he  had  no  doubt  bought  at  some 
jumble  sale,  and  it  is  a  wonder  the  whole  thing  has  not 
been  sold  long  ago  at  another.  I  can  tell  you  that  saying 
*  Peter  Piper,'  or  any  such  catch,  is  child's  play  to  manag- 
ing your  s's  and  w's  in  Chinese."    For  a  moment  he  hesi- 

« From  "  Services   of  Worship,"  used  by  permission   of  The   Mis- 
sionary Education  Movement,  New  York.  ^^      ^x    ^ne    mii 


ii6  Graded  Missionary  Education 

tated  and  his  face  was  grave,  then  he  plunged  right  into 
his  task,  and  for  a  long  time  nothing  was  heard  in  the 
cold,  dreary  room  but  the  scratch  of  his  pen  on  the  thin 
foreign  mail-paper. 

"  You  may  have  seen,"  he  wrote,  "  that  the  plague  is  pretty 
bad  in  northern  Manchuria.  We  are  doing  everything  we 
can  to  prevent  its  coming  south.  You  remember  that 
Mukden  is  at  the  junction  of  the  Japanese  line  running 
south  and  the  Chinese  Imperial  Railway  running  west  to 
Tientsin  and  Peking.  It  is  an  important  place,  as  you 
can  see  from  this  sketch."    Here  he  drew  a  little  map. 

"  The  railroad  stations  are  three  or  four  miles  to  the 
west  of  the  city.  Just  at  this  time  of  year  there  are 
great  crowds  of  coolies,  going  from  their  work  in  the  north 
down  into  Peking  to  celebrate  the  Chinese  New  Year.  I 
have  been  vaccinated,  and  I  am  going  to  examine  the  pas- 
sengers, to  prevent  the  plague  from  getting  into  China. 
You  need  not  mention  this  job  I  have  got  to  mother,  as  it 
would  only  make  her  unnecessarily  anxious.  Of  course, 
plague  is  a  nasty  thing,  but  we  are  hopeful  of  getting  it 
under  now." 

The  young  doctor's  fingers  were  cramped  and  cold,  but 
he  did  not  try  to  warm  them.  He  rose  from  his  seat  and 
paced  slowly  back  and  forth.  He  was  facing  in  thought 
more  terrible  hardships  than  this  biting  cold.  To  under- 
take this  work  at  the  railroad  station  meant  days  and 
nights  of  fatiguing  work  and  constant  exposure  to  in- 
fection. Suppose,  in  spite  of  every  precaution,  he  should 
take  the  dreaded  disease.  Arthur  Jackson  knew  well  the 
awful  suffering,  and  he  knew  that  all  that  the  best  medical 
skill  could  do  would  not  be  likely  to  prevent  his  death. 
Doctor  Jackson  paused  at  the  window.  Out  over  the 
snowy  waste  he  gazed.  Over  there  to  the  west  ran  the 
great  railway,  carrying  the  plague-stricken  people  down 
to  those  cities  to  which  their  coming  would  mean  death. 
What   could    save    Peking    and    the   teeming   millions    of 


In  the  Church  School  1 17 

China?  Suddenly  he  squared  his  shoulders.  The  Master 
himself  had  not  saved  his  own  life.  He  bowed  his  head 
a  moment.  When  he  lifted  it,  his  clean,  strong  face  was 
glorified  with  a  look  of  love  and  courage.  Cheerfully 
he  sealed  his  letter  and  went  to  his  night's  rest  before 
the  morrow's  task. 

The  next  day  Doctor  Jackson  took  up  his  work  at  the 
railway  station.  One  of  the  first  events  of  the  day  was 
the  arrival  of  a  train  of  four  hundred  coolies,  some  of 
whom  already  had  the  plague.  Doctor  Jackson  found  tem- 
porary quarters  for  them,  and  then  went  about  his  work  of 
examination.  He  was  dressed  in  a  white  overall,  outside 
his  fur  coat.  He  wore  strong  oilskin  boots  and  gloves,  and 
a  shield  saturated  with  disinfectant  over  his  face.  The  men 
who  already  had  the  disease  were  put  in  a  separate  build- 
ing, and  there  Doctor  Jackson  cared  for  them.  He  spared 
no  pains  to  relieve  their  sufferings,  and  many  an  hour  of 
their  agony  was  easier. 

Two  weeks  went  by.  On  Monday,  January  23,  he  came 
in  to  the  mission  station  for  luncheon.  The  missionaries 
were  all  glad  to  see  him,  and  his  brave  courage  cheered 
them  all. 

"  Well,  we  don't  make  money  out  there,  but  we  do  see 
life,"  he  said  gaily,  when  they  asked  him  about  his  work. 
Then  he  told  them  funny  stories  about  his  blunders  in 
speaking  Chinese.  He  kept  them  all  laughing  during  the 
twenty  minutes  he  was  there.  As  he  was  about  to  leave 
Mrs.  Christie  said,  "You  look  tired." 

"  Nonsense !  "  was  his  answer.  "  You  imagine  that." 
Then,  after  promising  to  take  care  of  himself,  he  said: 
"  It's  a  chance  few  fellows  get,"  and  left  them. 

That  afternoon  Jackson  was  in  high  spirits.  He  sent 
away  a  batch  of  sixty  coolies  who  owed  their  lives  to  his 
care.  A  new  temporary  hospital,  which  had  been  put  up 
through  his  efforts,  was  all  ready  to  receive  the  rest  of 
the  men  who  were  to  be  moved  the  next  day.    He  went  to 


ii8  Graded  Missionary  Education 

his  rest,  rejoicing  that  the  worst  was  over.  He  had  made 
good. 

But  in  the  morning  he  could  not  help  move  the  coolies. 
He  was  ill  himself.  Doctor  Christie  and  Doctor  Young  came 
out  from  the  mission.  They  looked  grave,  but  he  laughed 
at  their  fears.  But  when  afternoon  came,  it  was  certain 
that  he  had  the  plague.  Even  in  his  suffering  he  thought 
only  of  those  who  were  taking  care  of  him,  and  kept  show- 
ing them  how  to  protect  themselves.  Everj^hing  possible 
was  done,  but  it  was  a  losing  fight.  There  was  no  hope. 
Another  day  he  suffered,  and  at  nightfall  he  died.  Under 
the  starry  sky  his  grave  was  dug  in  the  snowy  ground,  and 
marked  by  a  little  cross  of  ivy  and  marguerites. 

The  viceroy  arranged  for  the  memorial  service,  which 
was  held  February  i.  In  the  presence  of  many  leading 
Chinese  officials  and  foreign  residents,  this  great  states- 
man, representative  of  the  Chinese  Empire,  paid  honor  to 
the  memory  of  Arthur  Jackson.  His  speech  closed  with 
the  following  remarkable  words  : 

"  O  spirit  of  Doctor  Jackson,  we  pray  you  intercede  for 
the  twenty  million  people  of  Manchuria,  and  ask  the  Lord 
of  heaven  to  take  away  this  pestilence,  so  that  we  may  once 
more  lay  our  heads  in  peace  upon  our  pillows.  In  life 
you  were  brave — now  3^ou  are  an  exalted  spirit.  Noble 
spirit,  who  sacrificed  your  life  for  us,  help  us  still,  and 
look  down  in  kindness  upon  us  all." 

All  over  China  the  news  of  Arthur  Jackson's  death  was 
carried.  Chinese  readers  saw  in  their  newspapers  the 
story  of  his  service  and  sacrifice.  His  excellency,  Hal 
Liang,  gave  $12,000  to  help  the  work  of  the  Medical 
College,  and  with  this  money  the  west  wing  of  the  college 
was  built.  Then  he  gave  $5,000  more  to  endow  a  profes- 
sorship in  the  college  as  a  memorial  to  Doctor  Jackson. 
Many  wealthy  Chinese  gave  gladly  to  this  memorial.  This 
money  pays  the  expenses  of  two  men  who  have  gone  out 
to  take  Doctor  Jackson's  place.    The  work  of  the  mission 


In  the  Church  School  119 

is  more  and  more  successful.  Thus  Arthur  Jackson,  by 
his  death,  proved  his  loyalty  to  Christ,  told  the  story  of 
the  cross  to  millions,  and  helped  China  more  than  he  had 
ever  dreamed  when  he  planned  to  live  a  long  Hfe  of  service 
in  Manchuria. 

''Services  of  Worship  for  the  Sunday  School," 
on  the  theme  "Brotherhood,"  prepared  by  Irene 
Mason  for  young  people  over  twelve  years  of  age, 
will  be  very  helpful  when  the  subjects  to  which  the 
programs  refer  are  studied,  or  on  special  occasions 
calling  for  the  use  of  these.  They  include  "  Sym- 
pathy for  New  Americans,"  "  Our  Brothers  in  all 
the  World,"  and  "Justice  for  Our  Brothers  and 
Sisters  Who  Work,"  etc.  In  the  last  named  many 
incidents  are  given  of  the  wrongs  of  child  labor— 
against  which  the  church  has  largely  neglected  to. 
fight,  as  a  part  of  its  missionary  work.  To  quote 
one  illustration  here  may  lead  to  an  investigation  of 
others : 

In  a  crowded  city  tenement  three-year-old  Marietta  was 
found  making  forget-me-nots.  By  working  all  day  and 
mto  the  evening  she  could  make  five  hundred  and  forty 
blossoms,  but  for  this  long  day's  work  she  earned  only 
five  cents.  Little  Marietta's  story  was  told  in  a  prison. 
Afterward  one  of  the  prisoners  who  was  there  for  life 
handed  the  speaker  a  small,  shabby  purse,  saving,  "For 
the  little  giri."  The  purse  contained  forty-five  cents 
and  a  scrap  of  paper,  on  which  was  penciled,  "Jerry 
Mason  to  Little  Sister." 

The  Big  Brother  and  Sister  idea  may  well  be  culti- 
vated among  the  church  young  people.     No  hymn 


I20  Graded  Missionary  Education 

better   expresses   the   largeness   of   the  missionary 
thought  than  the  following :  ^ 

Our  Father !  thy  dear  name  doth  show 

The  greatness  of  thy  love; 
All  are  thy  children  here  below 

As  in  thy  heaven  above. 
One  family  on  earth  are  we 

Throughout  its  widest  span ; 
Oh,  help  us  eveiywhere  to  see 

The  brotherhood  of  man. 

Alike  we  share  thy  tender  care ; 

We  trust  one  heavenly  Friend; 
Before  one  mercy-seat  in  prayer 

In  confidence  we  bend  ; 
Alike  we  hear  thy  loving  call ; 

One  heavenly  vision  scan, 
One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  hope  for  all, 

The  brotherhood  of  man. 

In  discussing  a  choice  of  life-work,  or  the  service 
rendered  by  many  volunteers  of  the  King,  a  brief 
prayer  at  a  class  session  will  often  deepen  a  desire 
to  serve  and  be  the  means  of  definite  consecration. 
A  suggestion  as  to  prayer  at  home  may  help  some 
young  man  or  woman  to  right  and  wise  decision. 
When  the  sympathy  of  the  young  people  is  stirred,  a 
united  prayer  for  those  in  need  may  be  a  blessing 
to  themselves,  as  well  as  those  for  whom  they  pray. 
It   is  likely  also  to  strengthen  the   feeling  of  the 

^  From   "  Songs   of  the   Christian   Life,"  by  permission   of   Charles 
E.  Merrill  Company,  publishers. 


In  the  Church  School  121 

brotherhood  of  man.  When  missionary  services 
are  planned,  the  prayers  used  may  be  most  helpful 
or  not  at  all  so.  The  kind  of  prayer  that  will  in- 
terest and  help  young  people  needs  to  be  thought  of 
before  the  time  of  prayer.  (See  Rauschenbusch's 
*'  Prayers  of  the  Social  Awakening,"  pubHshed  by 
the  Pilgrim  Press.) 

Teachers  should  be  familiar  with  "  Thy  King- 
dom Come,'*  a  book  of  social  prayers  compiled  by 
Ralph  E.  Dififendorfer,  some  of  which  will  be  use- 
ful for  fitting  occasions  on  Sunday  or  week-days. 

Two  Orders  of  Worship  of  especial  beauty  and 
strength — one  "  A  Service  of  Good  Citizenship  " 
under  the  title  "  Great  Memories  and  Great  Hopes," 
and  one  more  specifically  missionary,  entitled  "  Thy 
Kingdom  Come  " — together  with  a  number  of  good 
missionary  hymns,  are  to  be  found  in  "  Worship 
and  Song,"  by  Benjamin  S.  Winchester. 

The  opportunities  are  many  for  making  attrac- 
tive programs  of  a  missionary  character.  "  A  cur- 
rent-events evening"  will  be  a  pleasant  variation 
from  the  reading  previously  suggested.  Striking 
incidents  and  facts,  such  as  those  of  children  at 
work  given  in  the  program  mentioned  above,  may 
be  distributed  to  a  dozen  young  people  to  report,  as 
one  feature  of  a  social  evening.  Events  of  a  varied 
kind  are  to  be  found  in  the  magazines :  "  The 
International  Missionary  Review,"  "  The  Mission- 
ary Review  of  the  World,"  and  the  denominational 
monthlies,  such  as  "  Missions,"  the  joint  publication 
I 


122  Graded  Missionary  Education 

of  the  five  national   Baptist  missionary  Societies. 

Young  people  are  naturally  interested  in  dramatic 
representation.  To  give  them  the  opportunity  to 
express  themselves  in  this  way  may  provide  worthy 
social  enjoyment,  and  open  up  possibilities  of  bring- 
ing them  into  touch  with  the  spirit  and  ideals  of 
noblest  deeds. 

Missionary  plays  are  a  medium  of  real  interest 
that  is  just  beginning  to  be  appreciated.  The  talent 
and  activity  of  young  people  may  be,  under  leader- 
ship, utilized  to  advantage  in  this  direction;  some 
who  are  able  may  write  plays ;  others  may  have  an 
eye  to  artistic  arrangement;  while  others  will  be 
eager  to  act  in  the  different  roles,  and  in  the  acting 
might  cooperate  with  the  girls  and  boys  of  the 
lower  department.  (See  page  87.)  Through  all 
they  do  they  may  enter  into  the  real  spirit  of  the 
characters  they  represent,  and  learn  more  thor- 
oughly of  the  conditions  under  which  missionary 
leaders  have  to  work  than  perhaps  in  any  other  way. 
Great  good  is  apt  to  come  also  through  the  interest 
aroused  among  those  who  see  the  dramatic  repre- 
sentations. Better  plays  may  be  developed  than 
those  already  at  hand.  Among  the  best  of  these  are 
"  Two  Thousand  Aliles  for  a  Book,"  "  The  Pilgrim- 
age,'* and  "  Sunlight  and  Candlelight.*' 

A  presentation  of  another  character  is  that  of; 
"Jesus  Christ's  Men"  (by  Caroline  Atwater 
Mason,  The  Griffith  and  Rowland  Press,  Philadel- 
phia), which  pictures  the  origin  of  early  Baptist 


In  the  Church  School  123 

missions,  and  in  a  number  of  scenes  shows  the 
"  spirit  of  love "  triumphing  over  the  "  spirit  of 
evil  "  through  the  devoted  work  of  "  the  Apostles 
to  the  East  "  and  "  the  Apostles  to  the  West." 

An  impressive  pageant  of  home  missions,  ar- 
ranged by  Mrs.  Edith  H.  Allen,  has  been  presented 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Woman's  Home  Mission- 
ary Federation,  by  groups  of  young  people  from 
several  churches  in  one  town.  It  may  well  be  used 
in  this  way.  The  chief  characters  are  ''  the  Spirit 
of  America  "  and  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Church,"  and 
the  episodes  include  Pilgrims,  Indians,  colored 
Americans,  Alaskans,  etc.  One  alteration  in  the 
closing  scene  will  be  advisable;  instead  of  the 
aliens  casting  away  the  flags  of  their  fatherlands 
to  do  honor  to  that  of  the  United  States,  they  should 
unite  them  to  it  in  the  spirit  of  brotherhood. 

The  stereopticon  is,  of  course,  another  oppor- 
tunity of  the  day  for  bringing  to  light  actual  con- 
ditions. For  some  purposes  it  is  the  best  means. 
But,  in  that  it  does  not  employ  the  activities  of 
young  people,  it  is  not  as  valuable  as  the  pageant 
or  the  play.  Lantern-slides,  costumes,  outfits  for 
missionary  demonstrations,  curios,  etc.,  may  be 
rented  from  the  Missionary  Education  Movement, 
New  York  City.  Information  concerning  the  plays 
and  the  mechanical  helps  mentioned  above  may  be 
had  from  the  Department  of  Missionary  Education 
of  the  Northern  Baptist  Convention,  23  East 
Twenty-sixth  Street,  New  York. 


124  Graded  Missionary  Education 

The  Fulfilment 

So  far  the  plans  proposed  in  this  chapter  have 
been  largely  on  the  instructional  side;  but  in  this 
the  aim  has  been  to  use  the  students'  activity  and 
through  all  to  think  of  the  underlying  purpose, 
training  in  service  and  for  service.  Now  we  turn 
to  consider  the  forms  of  service  that  may  be  car- 
ried on  during  this  period  of  training,  not  intending 
to  have  these  apart  from  the  instruction  and  study, 
but  related  to  them  and  often  growing  out  of  them. 
The  largeness  of  the  subjects  for  consideration 
has  made  necessary  a  separation  on  paper  for  the 
sake  of  clearness. 

The  service  to  take  precedence  should  be  that  in 
the  home  church,  to  which  the  young  people  belong 
either  as  members  of  the  school,  or  in  the  fuller 
sense  of  church-membership.  The  idea  of  loyalty 
and  cooperation  needs  to  be  assumed  as  a  matter  of 
course.  To  some  kind  of  service  on  the  immediate 
ground  all  young  people  will  respond,  but  they 
should  not  be  expected  to  do  one  and  the  same  thing, 
even  if  all  can  do  it,  e.  g.,  there  are  young  men 
who  enjoy  acting  as  ushers,  there  are  others  who 
hate  it.  Two  ways  are  open  for  getting  them  into 
service:  one  way  is  to  study  the  capabilities  and 
tastes  of  each,  and  then  to  ask  individually  for  a 
choice  from  two  or  three  things  needing  to  be  done  ; 
the  other,  to  present  a  number  of  things  to  a  group 
and  let  them  volunteer  for  service;  the  former  is 


In  the  Church  School  125 

perhaps  the  safer  way,  as  young  people  do  not 
aways  know  in  what  they  can  best  succeed;  a  boy 
may  be  ready  to  usher  and  yet  do  it  so  awkwardly 
that  it  will  be  to  his  own  disadvantage  as  well  as 
that  of  the  church.  Sometimes,  of  course,  a  group 
will  be  needed  to  work  together.  The  following 
plans  have  been  tested  and  accepted  by  either  young 
men  or  women:  Acting  as  business  manager  for  a 
church  paper;  as  assistant  editor  for  the  Sunday 
School  department  of  church  paper;  playing  the 
violin  in  the  primary  department;  (when  school  for 
younger  children  was  held  at  a  different  hour  from 
that  of  the  older  ones)  singing  a  "song-story" 
occasionally  to  the  little  children;  lettering  on  the 
blackboard;  making  a  cupboard  for  the  use  of  the 
school;  making  a  sign-board;  acting  as  leader  for 
Boy  Scout  class;  assisting  at  children's  Sunday 
School  parties;  serving  as  reader,  e.  g.,  dressed  in 
Oriental  garb,  reading  "  The  Song  of  the  Syrian 
Guest "  at  special  church  service ;  singing  in  chorus 
choirs;  decorating  the  church  and  schoolrooms  for 
special  occasions ;  serving  at  church  dinners ;  usher- 
ing ;  providing  flowers  for  the  church  for  a  month ; 
writing  letters  or  addressing  envelopes  for  the  min- 
ister. All  the  young  people  should  be  asked  to 
contribute  regularly  to  the  financial  support  of  the 
church,  even  if  the  ofifering  is  only  a  penny  a  week. 
Many  of  the  activities  noted  above  are  done  for 
the  younger  members  of  the  school ;  in  this  there  is 
a  double  value:  it  puts  into  action  the  big  brother 


126  Graded  Missionary  Education 

and  sister  idea,  and  also  keeps  an  esprit  de  corps  in 
the  different  departments. 

Together  with  this  kind  of  work  should  be  coop- 
eration in  some  of  the  church  and  school  projects. 
It  may  be  that  the  school  is  supporting  a  mission 
or  settlement  where  there  is  a  playground ;  this  will 
be  the  young  people's  opportunity.  From  one  sub- 
urban church  thirty  young  men  and  women,  repre- 
senting several  classes,  undertook  the  care  of  a  city 
playground  for  the  summer ;  two  "  girls  "  being  as- 
signed to  go  together  the  same  afternoon  each  week 
for  a  month,  and  a  couple  of  **  boys  "  to  go  each 
evening  in  the  same  way.  Another  group  gathered 
and  took  in  flowers  once  a  week  to  a  settlement. 
When  a  mission  of  the  church  became  independent 
and  needed  an  addition  to  a  gift  of  a  partial  com- 
munion service  set,  the  young  people  supplied  the 
deficiency,  and  went  in  a  body  to  attend  the  first 
communion  service.  These  illustrations  but  signify 
the  possibility  of  planning  for  cooperation  in  church 
projects.  The  young  people  should  become  familiar 
with  the  special  foreign  missionary  work  of  their 
church,  and  have  some  personal  share  in  it.  They 
should  know  its  denominational  Societies  through 
active  work  with  them  by  correspondence,  etc.,  and 
a  responsibility  for  some  particular  project,  if  not 
person,  in  the  home  and  foreign  mission  field.  To 
feel,  however,  that  they  are  helping  through  one 
individual,  as,  for  instance,  when  a  high  school 
(or  senior  department)  supports  a  native  worker,  is 


In  the  Church  School  127 

a  great  gain  in  their  definite  interest.  A  room  in  a 
hospital,  or  a  case  of  surgical  instruments,  is  the 
next  best  sort  of  thing. 

This  is  the  period  for  training  in  community  re- 
sponsibility, for  showing  the  young  people  that  the 
church,  if  truly  Christian,  must  work  for  civic 
righteousness ;  some  practical  ways  must  be  devised 
for  active  work  in  making  better  the  place  in  which 
they  live,  and  opportunity  should  be  taken  for  show- 
ing the  harm  of  one  person's  neglect  or  thoughtless- 
ness. These  ways  must  depend  upon  the  particular 
locality.  Expressions  along  this  line  and  proposi- 
tions from  the  young  people  themselves  will  be 
worth  more  than  preachments  on  these  subjects 
from  the  leader.  Keeping  the  walks  and  alleys 
clean,  making  gardens,  helping  to  get  good  country 
roads,  riding  in  a  way  not  to  hurt  animals  or  chil- 
dren, using  an  auto  for  others,  voting  for  the  man 
who  does  "  the  square  thing  " — these  are  only  a  few 
of  the  many  things  that  may  be  taken  up  according 
to  conditions.  Philanthropies  in  this  direction  must 
depend  also  on  what  is  in  the  immediate  environ- 
ment :  if  there  is  an  infirmary,  singing  and  reading 
one  day  a  week  may  be  arranged  for;  if  there  is  a 
hospital,  chapel  services  may  be  carried  on.  In  a 
neighborhood  of  boarding-houses  "  a  pleasant  Sun- 
day afternoon  "  may  be  offered  to  young  people  liv- 
ing in  single  rooms,  who  are  in  many  cases  strangers 
in  a  city.  One  group  made  the  inmates  of  an  alms- 
house happy  by  disposing  of  their  work,  another 


128  Graded  Missionary  Education 

provided  a  week's  vacation  in  the  country  for  a 
working  girl.  In  this,  as  in  all  plans  for  teaching, 
the  greatest  need  is  to  make  the  right  selection  for 
the  best  results. 

In  money-getting  and  giving  for  these  various 
mission  enterprises,  young  people  need  to  be  trained 
in  Christian  business  methods.  The  value  of  sys- 
tematic giving  should  be  urged,  and  comparative 
studies  made  of  the  uses  of  money  for  good  or  ill.  • 
Valuable  suggestions  as  to  legitimate  finance  from. 
a  Christian  standpoint  may  be  also  brought  forward 
in  connection  with  the  raising  of  money.  The  fol- 
lowing incident  will  show  the  principle  to  be  con- 
sidered :  A  certain  class  proposed  to  raise  funds  by 
the  selling  of  popcorn,  when  one  of  the  members 
suggested  it  would  not  be  fair;  the  popcorn-field 
was  already  taken  care  of  by  two  old  men,  one  a 
cripple  and  the  other  too  decrepit  to  do  anything  else 
to  earn  a  living.  The  "  boys  "  decided  that  it  would 
be  legitimate  to  undertake  any  enterprise  that  did 
not  deprive  regular  workers  of  daily  means.  "  Vari- 
ous plans  were  adopted,  such  as  making  out  mail- 
ing-lists for  local  merchants  from  the  city  directory 
and  voting  lists,  and  doing  special  tasks  for  those 
who  required  only  occasional  service."  This  class 
contributed  liberally  to  home  and  foreign  missions 
and  kept  a  regular  account-book,  showing  receipts, 
disbursements,  and  causes  aided  from  time  to  time. 
If  it  is  right,  as  has  been  said,  for  younger  pupils 
to  have  some  voice  in  the  appropriation  of  their 


In  the  Church  School  129 

money,  it  is  much  more  so  for  these  senior  pupils; 
they  should  apply  their  own  contributions  to  objects 
according  to  vote  and  on  business  methods,  whether 
it  be  a  school  or  class  undertaking.  Interest,  loy- 
alty, and  enthusiasm  will  be  engendered  thus  as  in 
no  other  way,  while  a  wise  and  tactful  guidance  on 
the  part  of  the  leader  will  prevent  unbalanced  ac- 
tion. '  Through  methods  such  as  these,  young  peo- 
ple will  be  trained  for  responsibilities  in  church 
leadership. 

It  is  possible  that  a  teacher  in  reading  this  little 
book  will  feel — to  the  point  of  discouragement — 
that  the  plans  suggested  are  more  than  can  be  ful- 
filled ;  for  him  three  things  may  be  recalled  to  mind : 
(i)  Such  training  is  not  possible  in  the  Sunday 
hour  only ;  if  he  cannot  give  other  time,  an  assistant 
may  do  so,  who,  under  other  plans,  would  perhaps 
be  at  work  in  the  mission  band  of  the  church. 
(2)  Selection  for  the  particular  group  is  a  neces- 
sity from  even  good  material.  (3)  The  entire  plan 
for  the  different  periods  of  child  life  covers  at  least 
fourteen  to  sixteen  years,  in  which  vital  energy  is 
to  be  directed  into  right  channels.  The  very  rich- 
ness of  the  possibilities  at  hand  to-day  may  thus 
be  an  inspiration  for  our  planning. 

In  seeking  from  the  earliest  days  of  training  to 
the  later,  for  active  participation  in  ministering  to 
the  needs  of  others,  through  the  medium  of  the 
Sunday  School,  there  must  be  one  controlling  mo- 


130  Graded  Missionary  Education 

tive :  the  hope  of  so  fixing  the  habit  that  the  young 
people  as  they  go  out  to  any  form  of  life-work 
will  go  with  a  missionary  zeal  and  devotion  to  help 
forward  by  one  means  and  another  the  kingdom 
of  God,  remembering  that  "  they  who  turn  many 
to  righteousness  shall  shine  as  the  stars  for  ever 
and  ever,"  and  this  must  surely  be,  because  in  so 
doing  they  reflect  the  light  of  the  Saviour  of  the 
world. 


Additional  Books  for  Teachers  and  Young  People 

DeForest,  John  H. :  "  Sunrise  in  the  Sunrise  King- 
dom." 

Eddy,  George  Sherwood :  **  The  New  Era  in 
Asia." 

Gracey,  Mrs.  J.  T. :  "  Eminent  Missionary 
Women." 

Trull,  G.  H. :  "  Missionary  Heroes  to  the  Indian." 
Trull,    G.     H. :    "  Missionary    Heroes    to    the 
African." 

Mott,  John  R. :  "  The  Decisive  Hour  of  Christian 
Missions." 

Eddy,  George  Sherwood :  "  Supreme  Decision  of 
the  Christian  Student,  or  The  Choice  of  a  Life- 
work." 

Helm,  Mary:  "The  Upward  Path"  (about  the 
Negro). 
Duggan,  Janie  P. :  "  An  Isle  of  Eden." 


In  the  Church  School  131 

Griggs,  W.  C. :  "Odds  and  Ends  from  Pagoda 
Land." 

Sears,  C.  H. :  ''  The  Redemption  of  the  City." 
Gunn,  H.  B. :  "  In  a  Far  Country." 


FOR  ALL  TEACHERS 

Hutchins,  Wm.  N. :  "  Graded  Social  Service  for 
the  Sunday  School." 

Athearn,  Walter  S. :  "  The  Church  School." 

Ferris,  Anita  B. :  "  Missionary  Program  Mate- 
rial." 

Trull,  Geo.  H. :  "  Missionary  Methods  for  Sunday 
School  Workers." 

Trull,  Geo.  H. :  "  Missionary  Programs  and  Inci- 
dents." 

Trull,  Geo.  H. :  "  Missionary  Studies  for  the  Sun- 
day School.** 

Diffendorf er,  Ralph  E. :  "  Education  Through  Ac- 
tivity and  Service." 

Diffendorfer,  Ralph  E.:  "Missionary  Education 
in  the  Sunday  School." 

Missionary  Education  Movement :  "  Missionary 
Expositions.*' 

Missionary  Education  Movement :  "  One  Hun- 
dred Most  Popular  Missionary  Books.*' 

Labaree,  Mary  S. :  "  The  Child  in  the  Midst.'* 


132  Graded  Missionary  Education 

Periodicals 

"  The  International  Review  of  Missions." 
"  The  Missionary  Review  of  the  World.' 
"  Everyland." 


Note.  A  classified  and  extensive  bibliography 
for  teachers  and  pupils  may  be  found  in  Trull's 
"  Missionary  Methods  for  the  Sunday  School "  on 
page  100  and  at  the  end  of  the  book. 


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